URFA - Parents of Suphi Akbaş who can not visit their son in prison for the last 5 years demanded their son to be transferred to a closer prison.

 

Suphi Akbaş, son of Gülendan (65) and Mehmet Adil Akbaş (69) living in a small village of the Suruç district of Urfa is being held in prison for the last 6 years. Akbaş was sentenced to life imprisonment with the accusation of 'being a member of a terrorist organization' and 'disrupting the unity of the state' while he was working as a school bus driver and sent to Giresun Type L Closed Prison.

 

TORTURED FOR 21 DAYS

 

Stating that his son was taken into custody on grounds of witness statements, father Mehmet Adil Akbaş (69) said that his son was subjected to severe torture for 21 days. Father Akbaş said, “They tortured him so much that all of his clothes were covered with blood. We used to bring him clothes, but the prison administration wouldn't let them in. My son was not guilty. He has been in prison for 6 years in vain. Is this justice?" 

 

HE IS ALL ALONE

 

Sharing that they could not go to the prison for 5 years to visit their son, father Akbaş said that his son's wife and 5 children have not seen their father for 3 years. Father Akbaş said, “My son has 5 children. We all try to make a living on my salary. We can only speak to my son on the phone for 20 minutes a week but we can't go visit him because he is being held in a prison so far away."

 

HE WANTS TO SEE HIS CHILDREN

 

Stating that her son wants to see his wife and children, mother of Akbaş said: "We can't go see him. We are struggling financially and he is held in a prison so far away. We applied for him to be transferred to a closer prison many times. All our requests were rejected. Going to the prison from our village and coming back costs 4 thousand liras. We don't have that kind of money. My son has been in prison for the last 5 years. I have been mourning all these years. I want to see my son. I want him to be transferred to a closer prison. He has children. They can't see their father. Had he been in a prison in Urfa we would gos ee him every week."

 

 

MA / Barış Polat