AMED - Prisoner Şivekar Ataş, who has not been released despite her serious illnesses, has been placed in solitary confinement due to disciplinary punishment.
Şivekar Ataş, who is on the Human Rights Association's (IHD) list of seriously ill prisoners, is not being released despite her many illnesses. Ataş was arrested in 2016 in Mûş, where she was a university student in Amed (Diyarbakır). Ataş was sentenced to 15 years in prison for “being a member of an illegal organization”. Ataş was imprisoned in Ankara and Mersin prisons respectively. Ataş is currently being held in Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison. Ataş is not being released despite her illnesses such as heart failure, uterine cyst, high blood pressure and hernia. Ataş was recently placed in solitary confinement due to a disciplinary penalty against her.
ILL PRISONER TAKEN TO SOLITARY CONFINEMENT
On August 28, Ataş met with her family in an open visit in prison. Ataş stated that she was placed in solitary confinement on September 4 due to the disciplinary punishment given to her for her weekly phone call. Ataş, who has been sentenced to solitary confinement 6 times so far in Bakırköy Prison, will remain in solitary confinement for 11 days due to the latest punishment.
Ataş's mother Rabia Ataş stated that her daughter has been subjected to many rights violations since the day she was arrested. Mother Ataş stated that they were also subjected to strip searches during prison visits, “Şivekar was previously sentenced to solitary confinement for ‘tearing mattresses and sheets’ and for singing Kurdish songs” she said.
'NOT INDEPENDENT FROM ISOLATION'
Pointing out that the guards listen to the conversations at the desk during the visit, mother Ataş said: “It hurts us when we are subjected to these practices. And when we protest, they do not allow us to see our children. I told the guards, 'You have no shame, you impose strip searches on us' and they threatened to take us out. No one should accept these practices.”
Pointing out that her daughter's health problems will worsen in solitary confinement, mother Ataş emphasized that the arbitrary practices against prisoners are linked to the securityist policies pursued in the Kurdish issue and the İmralı isolation. Mother Ataş said: “This case has been going on for 40 years. It will continue even if 100 years pass. There has been no news from Mr. Abdullah Öcalan for 42 months. If the isolation on Mr. Abdullah Öcalan is lifted, the isolation on our children will also be lifted. Then peace will come. As long as Mr. Abdullah Öcalan is not released, no one can talk about peace. Everyone has to take a hand in lifting the isolation.”