AMED - 30-year ill prisoner Mustafa Karatepe died 7 months after his release, "They kill them and leave them like that. They do not leave anyone who can stand," said brother Mehmet Karatepe

 

Mustafa Karatepe (67), a 30-year prisoner released from Sincan F-Type Prison No 2 on 6 January, died on 30 August. He was detained and arrested in Izmir on 14 January 1995 and sentenced to life imprisonment by the State Security Court (DGM). Karatepe was held in many cities in Turkey and Kurdistan prisoners. Karatepe was released from Ankara Sincan F-Type Prison No 2 on 6 January. Karatepe, who lost his father when he was 1 year old, lost one of his 5 children while in prison. 

 

Explaining his brother's struggle and death, his older brother Mehmet Karatepe (72) said that his brother, who migrated from Amed to Izmir, took part in the struggle here. Stating that his brother moved to Izmir after his marriage and was arrested 10-12 years after he moved there, Karatepe said, "He had been in the party since he was young. He said that he was struggling to build a free future for his people. We grew up in Şêx Âlîka. Now it is connected to the Amed centre."

 

CANCER DIAGNOSIS AFTER EVACUATION 

 

Karatepe stated that when he went to see his brother in prison, he talked about the violations of rights in prisons and said that prisons are houses of death. Stating that the approach of prisons to prisoners is within the framework of enemy law. "Two years ago, he had this disease in the hospital, they did not tell him that he had cancer. They said 'he has a stomach ache' After that, when he could no longer eat or drink, his two years were up, they released him. After his release, we took him to doctors, and they said, 'He has cancer. If he had been diagnosed in time and if they had made the necessary intervention, he would be alive now. This is persecution," he said. 

 

RELEASE ILL PRISONERS

 

Karatepe stated that his brother's condition was severe after his release from prison and said, "He did not benefit from the medication. For 5 months he could walk, we used to take him to the hospital, but for the last two months he was hospitalised and died. What we know is that they do not leave them until they die. They kill them and leave them like that. They don't release those who can stand. We want them to release those in prison. No one should stay in prison. It is a long life, we hear that there are those who have been in prison for 30-33-34 years and are sick. We want all of them to be released before they fall apart, to receive the necessary treatment and not to lose their lives like Mustafa. I mean, this is a very important issue, if someone is sick and cannot walk, what can this person do, can they do anything?"  

 

'HE WENT AWAY LONGING FOR HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN'

 

Stating that his brother died longing for his wife and children, Karatepe said: "My brother had 5 daughters. They waited with a great longing. They did not see their father. His eldest daughter is 41 years old, she was 11 years old when her father was arrested. She did not see her father, she went to see him once a year for 1 hour, she longed for her father. One daughter died while Mustafa was in prison. While Mustafa was in hospital, his four daughters were circling around their father morning and evening. They wouldn't leave him, even I, his older brother, longed to see him. He wanted to look at the world and walk in the mountains and slopes. That was his longing, he had nothing to do with worldly goods. He wanted to see the sun. He wanted to go to the places he had travelled when he was young." 

 

Karatepe said that his brother resisted very hard, "He did not want anything from us. He only wanted to be buried in the village in his will. 'When I die, take me to the village and play Aram Tîgran's song 'Te ez kal kirim'. No one should cry for me either,' he said.  We will never forget him and his struggle, we will never let him be forgotten." 

 

MA / Fethi Balaman