İZMİR - Cancer and tuberculosis patient Mehmet Salih Filiz from Ödemiş Prison, stated that he was not hospitalized due to the epidemic and that he was not given the medication he needed.

 

The coronavirus (Kovid -19) epidemic poses a threat to the lives of all prisoners, especially patients, in prisons. On the other hand, the Ministry of Justice did not take any precautions regarding the prisons except to restrict the lawyers and family visits. Mehmet Salih Filiz, who has intestinal cancer, osteoporosis and tuberculosis is amongst those who are in the risk group. Yesterday, Filiz reported violations of his rights during his weekly phone call with his elder brother, Şehmuz Filiz.

 

HE WASN'T RELEASED DESPITE DOCTOR'S ADVICE

 

Stating that he was given his medication he needed for the treatment of cancer, Filiz said: "I am being treated for multiple diseases.My medications are not given. I need to feed with a formula which comes from abroad, but I can't get it because of the coronavirus. They also don't give me the doctor approved diet. The surgeon examined me on April 7 and told that I had to be referred to a hospital. I am detoriorating day by day."

 

Şehmuz Filiz who stated that his brother is left to death said: "The virus spreaded to Turkey as it did in the whole world. The number of cases and deaths increase on a daily basis. We are concerned about my brother's life. He is very sick. They do not take him to a hospital and they do not take care of him in prison. My brother is left to die in there. Authorities must include political prisoners to the new law proposal on the execution."