Adana Suluca High Security Prison No. 1 has been on the agenda with rights violations against prisoners since its opening. During an open visit to the prison this week, prisoner Metin Serhat told his family about the rights violations in the prison and called for public awareness.

 

Prisoner Metin Serhat was detained in 2006 in Wan and arrested by the court. Serhat was sentenced to 38 years in prison in the case filed at Van 3rd High Criminal Court on charges of “being a member of a terrorist organization”, “making propaganda for a terrorist organization” and “possessing explosives”. During this time, Serhat was exiled to many prisons far away from his family.

 

Burhan Kartal, the older brother of the prisoner, noted that his brother was exiled to cities far away from his family during his 18 years of imprisonment. “About two months ago, after his friends told their families we learned that my brother was exiled from Elazığ High Security Prison No. 1 to Adana Suluca High Security Prison,” he said. 

 

THREATENED WITH VISIT BAN 

 

Stating that he went to his brother's open visit on Tuesday, Kartal said that he was subjected to 4-5 searches until he went to the waiting room and that he faced a special practice for each search. Stating that they arrived at the hall where the visit was held before the prisoners, Kartal said that they were threatened with a visit ban if they communicated with other prisoners. “The guards were threatening us by walking around with a report in their hands in front of our eyes. While our normal visitation time is 45 minutes, we were only able to visit for 30 minutes,” Kartal said. 

 

'WE DO NOT ACCEPT'

 

Kartal conveyed his brother's account of the violations of rights in prison as follows: “Prisoners are in solitary confinement and we have no communication as there are no social activities. We are taken to the air for a very limited period of time. Although this practice is directed against prisoners serving aggravated prison sentences, we are subjected to the same practices. There is an imposition of remorse against political prisoners. For this reason, we have friends in prison who are prevented from being released even tough they have completed their sentence. The practices in prison are almost like the Turkey coup d'etat period, there is an attempt to break their will. In particular, there is an attempt to put pressure on the administration, families and prisoners. They are trying to dishonor us with their inhuman policies. We do not accept these practices.”

 

'CALL FOR SENSITIVITY'

 

Kartal called for public sensitivity against the inhumane oppression of prisoners. “Yes, maybe there is no physical brutality like Turkey coup d'etat, but a psychological brutality is being practiced on prisoners. As families of prisoners, we call on everyone to do whatever they can today and stand up for the prisoners in prisons.”