At least 59 prisoners have died in Turkish jails in 2021

The Marmara Region Prison Monitoring Delegation is made up of various organisations, such as the Human Rights Association (İHD), Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), TUHAYDER, TAYAD and Solidarity with Prisoners Initiative.

The umbrella organisation held a press conference to expose the serious violations of rights in prisons. These violations have become systematic and concern the rights to healthcare and communication as well as torture and harassment and arbitrarily decisions and penalties.

1,605 ill prisoners in jails

According to the Delegation, at least seven prisoners have lost their lives in different prisons in Turkey in December 2021 alone.

Referring to the Justice Ministry data, the Delegation said that there were 297,726 prisoners in Turkey’s prisons as of 31 December 2021.

According to the IHD data, as of March 2021, there are at least 1,605 ill prisoners, 604 in serious conditions.

At least 59 ill prisoners died in jail 2021

The IHD said that “in 2021, at least 59 ill prisoners, seven of whom shortly after the execution of their prison sentences had been deferred, lost their lives.”

The Delegation underlined that the state is responsible for the health and lives of prisoners and is obliged to ensure that they have access to their right to medical treatment and healthcare.

Seven prisoners died in one month

The delegation releases the names of the seven prisoners who died in jail between November and December 2021.

12 November 2021 – 33-year-old Bangin Muhammed, who was held in İskenderun Type T Prison, lost his life after not being treated despite being seriously ill.

9 December 2021 – Garibe Gezer was found dead in an isolation cell in Kocaeli No. 1 Type F High Security Closed Prison. The administration said that she had committed suicide. The prosecutor’s office first imposed a confidentiality order on the file.

15 December 2021 – 65-year-old Abdülrezzak Şuyur who was held in İzmir Aliağa Şakran Type T Prison lost his life. Despite suffering from a very advanced cancer, he was not released.

15 December 2021 – Halil Günel, who was on the seriously ill prisoners’ list compiled by the IHD, lost his life in his cell in Diyarbakır No. 2 Prison.

17 December 2021 – Sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, 32-year-old İlyas Demir lost his life in an isolation cell in Bolu Type T Closed Prison.

18 December 2021 – Mustafa Gaffar was found hanged in a cell in Antalya Type Closed Prison with a sheet.

19 December  2021 – Vedat Erkmen suspiciously died in his cell in Tekirdağ No. 2 Type F High Security Closed Prison. The prison administration informed his family that he had committed suicide.