HDP Diyarbakır MP Tosun submits prisoners’ petition about rights violation to Parliament

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır MP, Remziye Tosun, submitted the petition the prisoners wrote to the Ministry of Justice regarding the rights violations experienced by the detainees in Diyarbakır Women’s Closed Prison to the Presidency of the Parliament, the Parliamentary Investigation Commission and the Presidency of the Human Rights Investigation Commission and demanded an urgent visit to the prison.

In the petition sent to the Ministry of Justice, which was not adequately answered, the prisoners listed the rights violations they suffered as follows:

“* Despite the pandemic conditions and normalization measures, the Diyarbakır Women’s Closed Prison Administration does not respond to the petitions written by the prisoners, and does not inform the prisoners about issues such as the right to open visits, joint social activities between the wards, the right to open visits with lawyers, and the quarantine conditions upon returning from the hospital/court. Most of the petitions written by the prisoners regarding the problems experienced are left unanswered, and the refusal is given verbally. Despite the announcement that open meetings would begin in prisons, prisoners hold closed meetings with their lawyers.

*Prisoners cannot benefit from any publications in Kurdish. Letters in Kurdish are given to the prisoners weeks later. It is stated by the Prison Administration that even magazines, publications and books that pose a danger but do not have a confiscation order will not be given to prisoners.

*Due to the constant searches in quarantine wards, the risk of contamination increases. Ward searches are carried out in a way that adversely affects the health of the prisoners. The prisoners stated that searches were carried out in the wards by searching for food with gloves that the prison officers touched everywhere, and by scattering their underwear.

*Prisoners are subjected to psychological torture. There are 27 gutters in the 30 square meters ventilation area. On rainy days, in the wards that do not have sound and insulation systems, the prisoners suffer from sleep problems. The ventilation area covered with narrow and high walls, which is not exposed to the sun for 7 months of the year, has moss. During the winter and spring months, water drips continuously from 27 water gutters, thickening the moss. Due to this situation, prisoners cannot do sports activities. In addition, prison officers kick the doors open in the morning and slam them shut in the evening. This situation causes fear, panic and anxiety in prisoners.

* Wards and dining areas are monitored with two-way cameras, and prisoners are tortured with lights that are kept on all the time. With two-way cameras 24 hours a day, prisoners are harassed by violating privacy rules. After the lights are turned off in the wards, the lights are flashed again. Although the Prison Administration declared that they could not fix the malfunction, the officers came to the ward and blamed the prisoners for the malfunction. The heating system operates late in the prison. Water is cut off without informing the prisoners. Although the prisoners stated that there was no water to drink, no solution was produced.

* From time to time, food is uneatable or there are things in the dishes. Prisoners are deprived of seasonal foods and given carbohydrate-based meals. Therefore, the health of prisoners is at risk. Vegetarian prisoners must submit a doctor’s report.

*Prisoners, including seriously ill and chronically ill prisoners, have difficulty accessing health services. The prisoners stated that they wrote a petition to go to the infirmary, but could only access health care a few times. Influenza vaccines requested by prisoners with chronic diseases are not made.

* The request of prisoners to meet with the prison director regarding the problems is rejected. Criminal complaints made by the prisoners to the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office are given as grounds for investigation and punishment by the Prison Disciplinary Board.”