ANKARA- Evaluating the new regulation of the execution law, lawyer Yusuf Alataş said, "If they do not comply with the principle of equality even under the circumstances of the pandemic, it means that there is no justice or a system of justice in a state. It means the state justice system is completely bankrupt".

 

As the political prisoners were excluded from the new regulation of the execution law, recently proposed and accepted by AKP-MHP due to the coronavirus outbreak, Human Rights Association ex-Chairman and a lawyer of 46-years said, "The purpose is said to support the right to live. If that is the purpose, than this shoul apply for all the prisoners equally. Neither in the constitution, nor in the international law, there is no discrimination regarding the right to live. Thus, everybody should be given the the equal rights and chances".

 

'LAW OF ENEMY'

 

Alataş stated that with every regulation and amendment made on issues such as criminal law, penal execution law and trial procedures, the state mind always calculates “how do we bring more harder conditions to the political prisoners and political convicts”. Alataş defines this new regulation, therefore, as the "law of enemy". Reminding that today in the prisons of Turkey there are thousands of political prisoners, Alatas noted,  "If there is no other purpose of this regulation, then they should apply the principle of equality immediately. Unfortunately, when it comes to political prisoners in Turkey, the concept of equality has already been put behind the shelves".

 

'DID THEY ASK ABOUT THE PUBLIC OPINION?'

 

Alataş underlined the fact that the new regulation on the execution law, which has been accepted in the parliement by the vots of AKP-MH, has not been asked to the public as he told, "Nobody in the society is informed about what is going on in the prisons or which measures are needed in order to protect the right to live of the prisoners. Even the authorities, who are specialized on this topic, do not inform the public. so, the regulations become a subject of political opinion. 90 thousand of prisoners will be released, yes, but what will happen to thos who remain inside? Don't they have a right to live? The death penalty is removed, they say, but what happens if you let prisoners inside even though you know it is a life risk; isn't this also a death penalty? This issues are not even discussed publicly. What is going on in prisons? What do the prisons lack and what are the needs? These questions are not adressed to the society to get the public opinion. Things are discussed within the parliement, they prepare, present, vote and pass the regulations ex parte".

 

MA/ Berivan Altan