ANKARA – Ahmet Göksu, the brother of Melike Göksu, whose release has been blocked for the fourth time, recalled that his own release had been blocked three times while he was in prison, saying: “This only applies to political prisoners.”

 

Over the past month, the release of five women prisoners held at Sincan F-Type Women’s Closed Prison has been blocked by the Administration and Observation Board. 

 

The release of Melike Göksu, former co-mayor of Qereyazî (Karayazı), whose release has been blocked for the past year, was prevented for the fourth time on 21 May, resulting in a further nine-month extension of her imprisonment.

 

Melike Göksu was arrested in 2022 following a raid on her home during which, her family says, she was subjected to torture. She was later imprisoned on charges of “terrorist organization membership.” Her release has already been blocked three times by the Board. Speaking about the repeated blocking of prisoners’ releases, her brother Ahmet Göksu, who was released from Aksaray Prison on 14 April, criticised the practice.

 

 

Ahmet Göksu stated that prisoners held in the same prison on different charges has been released without obstruction. Stating that the Board only blocks the relase of political prisoners, Göksu said: “People imprisoned on PKK-related charges are subjected to special treatment and accusations.” He added that the Board acted like a court by questioning the charges contained in prisoners’ files. 

 

Göksu stated that the justifications given by the Administration and Observation Board for blocking releases were baseless. He said that although he should have been released according to the Board’s own scoring system, his release was blocked on the grounds that he had allegedly caused difficulties for a prison guard.

 

“They did the same to Melike. When she appeared before the board, they did not ask her anything, but in the reasoned decision they wrote: ‘She is causing trouble for prison officers and staff.’ If she really caused ‘trouble’, then show it. The prison is covered by CCTV cameras. If such an incident occurred, why was there no disciplinary action, and why was it not referred to court?” he asked.

 

‘APPLIED ONLY TO POLITICAL PRISONERS’

 

Recalling that a prosecutor at Aksaray Prison told prisoners appearing before the committee, “You will not be released from prison while I am here,” Göksu said: “In prisons, this is applied only to political prisoners. Others were released without a single day’s delay. My sentence was short, but there were friends of ours serving 32 and 35 years alongside me. These friends had neither disciplinary penalties nor any problems with the guards. Their releases were being blocked solely by the board’s decision.”

 

He added that release blockades, which have continued at Sincan Women’s Closed Prison since 2021, are being used as a means of psychological pressure against women prisoners in other prisons as well.

 

‘IT IS HINDERING THE HEALTHY PROGRESS OF THE PROCESS’

 

Göksu said that although release blockades may not directly affect prisoners inside the prison, they do have an impact on society. Referring to the ongoing Peace and Democratic Society Process, he said: “Friends whose releases are being blocked are effectively being held hostage. Since a process has begun and peace is being discussed, these practices are wrong. Such practices are hindering the healthy progress of the process.”

 

MA / Sema Bingol