Relatives of ill prisoners start Vigil for Justice at premises of Amed Bar Association

Prisoners’ relatives launched a Vigil for Justice in the premises of Amed Bar Association to draw attention to the situation of ill prisoners. The relatives denounced the heavy and increasing violations of rights such as torture and ill-treatment in prisons. Hakkı Botan is the father of Civan Botan who is in Bolu F Type Closed Prison, Inci Güler is the brother of Abdulselam Güler who is in Diyarbakır D Type Closed Prison, Hasime Güler is the wife of Sıddık Güle who is in Iskenderun Prison, Bandırma Fevziye Kolakan is the mother of Ahmet Kolakan who is in Prison No. 2, and Selma Özkan is the daughter of Mehmet Emin Özkan who is in Diyarbakır D Type Closed Prison, attended the press conference.

Amed Bar’s President, Nahit Eren, and other executives, listened to the demands of the families holding the vigil. Eren said that they will work to eliminate the problems experienced and to raise awareness of the demands for justice expressed by families. Eren added that they will provide legal support to families.

Hasime Güler, wife of Sıddık Güler, said that her husband suffered from heart problems twice in prison and, as a result, was forced to stay in a wheelchair and could not meet his needs. Güler asked for legal support from the Bar Association and added that her husband caught coronavirus twice during the pandemic period.

Fevziye Kolakan, mother of sick prisoner Ahmet Kolakan, said that her son had a problem with his heart valves but did not want to undergo surgery without his family. However, permission to the family to stay near their son was denied.

Selma Özkan, daughter of ill prisoner Mehmet Emin, said that everyone knew about her father’s condition, but the authorities took no action. “We can’t even get a phone call from my father anymore. We don’t know his condition. Something must be done immediately.” Hakki Boltan, father of Civan Boltan, said that his son is blind of one eye and has only one hand. He also has a piece of shrapnel in his brain. Boltan said that his son could not meet his own needs due to this situation. Stating that his son should be released, Boltan said that the families “wants people to know what is going on in prisons” and added that they will continue the vigil until “we achieve some result.”