Cancer patient and TAYAD member Hasan Karapınar was under house arrest. His home was raided, and he was taken into custody by police. He was assaulted and deprived of his medication, interrupting his ongoing treatment. Speaking to ANF after visiting his client, lawyer Uğur Keşküş described the situation.
Keşküş met Karapınar at Vatan Police Headquarters on 10 October. He said: “During our meeting, my client was exhausted, weak, and walking with a limp. There were visible bruises on his face caused by beatings. He told me he was assaulted both during his arrest and again while his fingerprints were being taken at the police station.”
Bruises on his face
Lawyer Keşküş emphasized that his client, who has been under house arrest for 10 months and poses no flight risk, was tortured during his detention on 9 October 2025. He also noted that Karapınar’s friend, Sevcan Akdoğan, who protested the assault, was detained as well. He said: “For the first 24 hours, I was not allowed to see my client due to a prosecutor’s restriction. I finally saw him on 10 October. He was tired, weak, and limping. There were marks on his face from the beating. He said he was assaulted both during his arrest and again while being fingerprinted at the station. He also said his medication was not being given to him. Because the case file is under a confidentiality order, I could not learn the reason for his detention. To protest this unlawful detention and torture, he went on hunger strike together with his friend Sevcan Akdoğan, who was detained with him.”
Cancer turned malignant in prison
Lawyer Keşküş explained that his client has been receiving treatment for lymphoma since 2020 but has been imprisoned twice despite his illness. “My client was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2020. The cancer was initially benign, but during his imprisonment after being detained in October 2021, it turned malignant. He had to undergo chemotherapy while in prison. In June 2022, the Istanbul 32nd High Criminal Court ordered his release due to his cancer and ongoing treatment.”
Karapınar is not fit to stay in prison
However, in February 2024, he was arrested again, without any new evidence, only on the basis of repeated allegations from the previous trial. As a result, he had to undergo surgery while in detention. In the tenth month of his imprisonment, on 16 December 2024, the 3rd Specialized Board of the Forensic Medicine Institute (ATK) issued a report stating that remaining in prison during chemotherapy was incompatible with his health. On 26 December 2024, the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court released him under house arrest. While his trial was ongoing, on 14 July 2025, 1.5 years after his detention, the same court realized that the allegations were identical to those in his previous case and transferred it to the Istanbul 32nd High Criminal Court to merge the files.
Karapınar must be released immediately
Underlining that Karapınar had been under house arrest for 10 months and was still undergoing cancer treatment when he was detained again, lawyer Keşküş said: “My client never violated his judicial control and was expecting his house arrest measure to be lifted at the hearing scheduled for 20 November. However, despite his known address, he was taken into custody again under the pretext of a confidential investigation. Just last week, we attended a hearing together. He could have been summoned for testimony, but instead, they raided his home and detained him violently. He has not recovered from cancer yet, is still in treatment, and needs his medication and regular checkups. He has an official medical report stating he cannot remain in prison. My client must be released immediately.”