Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Riha (Urfa) Branch Prisons Commission announced the report they prepared on Tokat Type T Closed Prison at a press conference. The meeting held at the branch office of the association was attended by lawyers who are members of the association. ÖHD Riha Branch Prisons Commission Co-spokesperson Meral Halat stated that they visited Tokat Prison based on complaints from prisoners' families and applications sent by prisoners, and that they reported the violations of rights they found in the prison.

 

Meral Halat stated that the Administrative and Observation Board (İGK) imposed "remorse" and "neutral ward" on prisoners and added, "It was reported that prisoners' conditional release requests were rejected by the arbitrary decisions of the Administrative and Observation Boards, which have become systematic violations of rights, and that the execution of many people was arbitrarily postponed many times. In the last one year, no political prisoner has been released in line with the decision of the İGK."

 

RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

 

Noting that ill prisoners cannot access their right to treatment, Meral Halat said, "All applicants stated that there were problems with hospital transfers. Prisoners stated that they were forced to be searched inside their mouths during the transfer and that they did not go to the hospital. Mehmet Şirin Kaya stated that he was not referred to hospital because he objected to the mouth search and was subjected to disciplinary punishment. It was also stated that İlhan Talay was not referred to hospital because he refused to be searched inside the mouth although he had fractures due to a fall. It was also stated that seriously ill prisoners were not treated because they refused to be searched inside the mouth. Prisoners' health conditions are put at risk due to oral search in Tokat Prison. The fact that prisoners in Tokat prison are not referred to hospital for urgent illnesses and no measures are taken causes serious violations of rights. In this sense, necessary initiatives should be taken immediately to ensure access to quality health care. Prison administration should concentrate on identifying and solving the problems. We demand that prisoners with health problems be referred to hospital immediately."

 

DISCRIMINATION, EXILE, ISOLATION

 

Meral Halat emphasised that there are many practices in prisons that cause violations of rights and pointed out that there is discrimination among prisoners in some practices.  Meral Halat listed the other violations of rights recorded in the report as follows:

 

"*The prisoners stated that communication is less than the facilities provided to those serving time for criminal offences and that video calls are not allowed and that they are not allowed to benefit from this right.

 

*It was stated that prisoners in Tokat prison came to Tokat with exile and their families are outside the province. Considering that families and relatives of prisoners have to travel long distances to visit prisoners and the risks they may face during the journey, it is obvious that these visits are dangerous.

 

*It is claimed that the right to search the wards, search of prisoners at the entrances and the obligation to count the prisoners are abused by the officials.

 

*The solitary confinement of Hamit Acu due to the finalisation of his aggravated life sentence is a punishment within a punishment. Considering the consequences of solitary confinement and isolation, measures must be taken by the administration and solitary confinement practice must be stopped immediately.

 

*Prisoners stated that they are not allowed to benefit from social activities.

 

*It is learned that the letter written by Aydin Değirmenci was considered as 'making propaganda for an illegal organisation' by the prison administration and was subjected to disciplinary punishment.

 

*Mehmet Şirin Kaya stated that disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him for refusing mouth search.  

 

*We have determined that an effective administrative and judicial supervision should be provided on the situation of seriously ill prisoners, the physical conditions of the prison, the unlawful treatment of prisoners, the violation of their rights and the fact that life in prisons has turned into conditions of severe isolation."

 

After listing the violations, Meral Halat stated that Turkey's current execution regime must be changed by harmonising it with the United Nations (UN) Mandela Rules and that execution discrimination must be ended. Meral Halat said, "We call on the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), the Ministry of Justice and the Parliamentary Human Rights Investigation Commission to establish 'independent' monitoring mechanisms as required by national and international law in order to eliminate the ongoing violations of rights."