Following Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society” on February 27, no steps have been taken by the government regarding the expected release of ill prisoners or the cessation of sentence postponements and sentence prolongations.

 

The issue was also raised during a meeting between the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç. However, no legal or administrative initiative has been taken so far in this regard.

 

Protests will be held in 16 cities against the refusal to release ill prisoners and the Regulation on the Evaluation of Convicts by Administrative and Observation Board (İGK), which enables sentence extensions and delays in release. The Federation of Legal Aid Associations for Prisoners and Convicts' Families (MED TUHAD-FED) and the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD)  will hold press statements in 16 cities between May 7 and June 4.

 

Highlighting severe rights violations in prisons, MED TUHAD-FED Co-Chair Pınar Sakık Tekin emphasized that the greatest injustices are being inflicted on ill prisoners and those denied release. “The situation of ill prisoners and the postponement or cancellation of their sentences has turned into a legal and humanitarian crisis,” she said and added: “This is no longer an individual crisis, but one that wounds society’s conscience.”

 

Pınar Sakık Tekin underlined that prisoners are being driven to death in isolated conditions and said: “Even as discussions of a solution are taking place, we witness increasingly entrenched security-oriented approaches in prisons. Releases are being delayed, sentences are being arbitrarily prolonged. Court rulings are not respected. On the grounds of things of things like ‘showing no remorse,’ sentences are extended with a discretionary attitude. We believe this is no longer a legal issue, but a political state of hostage-taking.”

 

She further stated that the new period marks a time for confrontation and the reestablishment of justice. Together with ÖHD, they will organize events in many cities demanding the release of ill prisoners and an end to sentence postponements and sentence cancellations.

 

CAMPAIGN FOR THE ‘RIGHT TO HOPE’

 

Sakık Tekin also drew attention to the many prisoners sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment who are denied the human right to hope and said, “Taking away the right to hope from prisoners also darkens the future of society.” 

 

She said, “In a society where the future is darkened, neither peace nor democratization can be achieved.” Announcing a campaign on the right to hope, Sakık Tekin stated, “This campaign will include sit-ins and press statements. We will launch a campaign to bring the ‘right to hope’ onto the agenda of both the public and the international community.”

 

Calling the issue a humanitarian and supra-political matter, Pınar Sakık Tekin urged the public to raise their voices for those in prisons.

 

MA / Müjdat Can