Human Rights Association (IHD) Ankara Branch announced the “Samsun/Kavak Type S Closed Prison and Bafra Type T Closed Prison Rights Violations Report” at a press conference held at the branch office of the association. Explaining the violations, IHD Central Executive Committee (MYK) Member Nuray Çevirmen stated that the release of 6 prisoners in Bafra Type T Closed Prison was prevented by the Administration and Observation Boards and said: “It is learned that prisoners who were called for interviews in this prison did not appear before any board. It is learned that the executions of all prisoners were extended and the decisions of the Administrative and Observation Boards sent to the prisoners were all the same to the point”.

 

'MOUTH SEARCH IMPOSITION'

 

Çevirmen informed that prisoners have not been able to go out for social activities for a year, that they are allowed to chat once or twice a year, that they used to go out for sports before the pandemic, but now there is an imposition for each room to go out for sports separately, and that prisoners do not go out for this reason. Çevirmen said that prisoners have not been able to go to the hospital for 3 years due to the oral search and that their treatment has been prevented. 

 

Çevirmen listed the violations in these prisons as follows: 

 

BAFRA PRISON 

 

“*Transfers of prisoners to hospitals are interrupted and they are taken to the infirmary only once a month.

 

*It is stated that periodicals, especially the New Life Newspaper, are banned. It has been stated that television channels allowed by the administration can be watched, opposition channels are not allowed and even Halk TV is banned.

 

*It was stated that the postal fees are extremely high, they have to send registered letters with return receipt because they don't know whether the normal letters have arrived or not, and this situation forces the prisoners financially.

 

*It was stated that the product variety in the canteen is very insufficient and of very poor quality, branded products that have never been heard of before are sold, and that each prisoner in the prison has a monthly expense of 4 thousand or 5 thousand Liras.

 

*The transfer requests of prisoners who are far away from their families are not accepted on the grounds of “capacity is full”. It is stated that the wards are located especially far away from each other in a way that they cannot communicate with each other.

 

SAMSUN/KAVAK TYPE S CLOSED PRISON

 

*The release of 6 prisoners was prevented by the administration and observation board.

 

*It is learned that on March 4, 2024, prisoners were taken out of their rooms under torture and were put in solitary cells, they were not allowed to do sports after the incident, they were also taken to the painting workshop before this incident, but afterwards the painting workshop and other activities were also banned.

 

*It was stated that prisoners were demanded to get an ID card, and that those who did not get and show an ID card were told that they would not be allowed to participate in activities.

 

*The treatment of a prisoner with heart disease and risk was delayed. It is learned that the same prisoner was implanted with 3 stents, after the stent was implanted, he was forced to remove his shoelaces while entering the patient care room in the cardiology ward at night, he did not accept this even when he was unconscious, but his shoes were forcibly peeled off, the guard in the patient care room removed the shoelaces of the shoes he peeled off and brought the shoes back, a disciplinary investigation was initiated against the prisoner for disobeying the order of the officer and then he was sentenced.

 

*It is stated that a prisoner was sentenced to solitary confinement because of the notebooks confiscated during the searches, and was sentenced to 11 days of solitary confinement because of the expression Kurdistan in the poems, and that prisoners' letters and notebooks were also confiscated during the searches.

 

*Prisoners' room change requests have not been met since they were transferred to this prison after the February 6 earthquake. It is stated that prisoners requested to change their rooms many times, but their room change requests were rejected by saying, ‘You are doing it for educational purposes, we have an organizational program inside’.

 

*Prisoners' right to privacy is violated, 360-degree view cameras, which are raised 1.5 meters from the roof, see prisoners' toilets.

 

*Prisoners are given 1 meter long rope to dry their clothes in the ventilation, although the ventilation is 7 meters long, and they are forced to lay their clothes inside the room and on the radiator.

 

'TORTURE REACHING THE LEVEL OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE'

 

Ömer Faruk Yazmacı, Co-Chair of IHD Ankara Branch, took the floor afterwards and shared conclusions and recommendations regarding the violations. Yazmacı stated that these practices are in violation of national and international conventions and that these prisoners are not treated in prisons in a manner befitting human dignity. “Prisoners have been subjected to strip searches, standing roll-calls, violence, insults, ill-treatment and violations of their rights, the treatment of those who are ill has been hindered, their right to communication and information has been prevented, their release has been prevented and they have been subjected to many other violations of their rights,” Yazmacı said.  

 

“Torture-brutality cases must be stopped, investigations must be opened against those responsible and criminal sanctions must be imposed,” Yazmacı said, adding that strip searches and forced undressing are acts of torture that violate the privacy of the person, target their moral values, social identity, damage their mental integrity and reach the dimensions of sexual violence.

 

Pointing out that one of the most important violations of rights in prisons is the cameras that monitor living spaces, Yazmacı reminded that respect for private life is guaranteed by international conventions. 

 

STEPS TO BE TAKEN

 

Yazmacı listed the following suggestions to end the violations of rights:

 

“* Patients must be taken to the infirmary and their transfer to hospital must be accelerated. Diagnosis, treatment and controls must be carried out by specialized physicians. Oral searches and handcuffed examinations must be abandoned.

 

*Adequate and healthy nutrition is a fundamental human right. Prisoners with health problems have the right to receive food prescribed by doctors. Prison administrations must provide dietary food to ill prisoners.

 

*Obstacles in the way of taking newspapers that are not banned or confiscated into prisons must be removed and the newspapers must be provided to prisoners.

 

*Social activities, which are essential for the socialization of prisoners, must be fully implemented and restrictions must be ended. Independent health institutions must be allowed to enter and inspect prisons. Legal arrangements must be made so that relevant organizations, especially professional organizations and human rights organizations, take part in the supervision of prisons.”