Every day, news of another death comes out from Turkish prisons, where isolation, torture, and abuses of human rights are on the rise. Prior to Garibe Gezer, who died suspiciously in the isolation cell in which she was detained in Kandıra F Type Prison No. 1, word of the deaths of sick prisoners Halil Güneş and Abdülrezzak Şuyur arrived from the prisons of Aliağa Şakran and Amed.

In his assessment of the alarming situation in prisons to the ANF, Human Rights Association (IHD) Honorary President Akın Birdal stated that, at this moment, a law of revenge is implemented in prisons. Birdal added that the state violates the right to life of sick prisoners.

'HALIL WAS A VERY GOOD PERSON'

Birdal, who spent 6 months at Ulucanlar Prison in 2000 with political prisoner Halil Güneş, who suffered from cancer and died, said that Güneş had been ill for years and yet had not been released despite all of his requests for the postponement of his execution. Birdal said that Güneş was a very good person. "After the Ulucanlar Prison massacre in 1999, in which 11 revolutionaries were killed, they sent me, four DEP representatives, and other prisoners there to be treated." We had been in the same ward for six months. Some had no feet, while others lacked hands and eyes. Halil was one of the critically ill prisoners in the same ward. In my book 'Yellow Envelope,' I even have a portrait of him. Halil was a writer and poet. He got an aggravated life sentence. He assigned us our night shifts. He did not put me down for the vigil; instead, he built me a wooden table and gave light to help my job. He was a really good person. In the ward, Halil used to cut our hair. He also took care of my “release” shave. Heval, let's send you out handsome,' he said. He was a really refined person."

'HE JOINED THE PATRIOTIC MOVEMENT AGAINST THE OPPRESSION OF KURDISH FAMILIES”

Birdal said that the book "Dream on the Towel," in which he reviewed his chats with Halil and other sick prisoners, could not be published yet owing to pressure and censorship in the country, and added that "their dream was a peaceful Turkey where they could live together equally and freely. He frequently told me about his amazing dreams when we were walking. He was the son of an Arab family from Adana who became involved in the patriotic movement in response to the oppression and persecution of Kurdish families in his community. During his reminiscences, he described how he picked up a scorpion that was hovering above a neighbor's child and placed it on the ground where no one could touch it. That's why he was always saying, I'm a wizard Heval."

‘THERE IS NO RIGHT TO LIVE IN PRISON!’

According to Birdal, there are no rights and freedoms in Turkey. "It may seem very idealistic, but a few days ago I said that they should make a gesture and release ill prisoners as a present for Human Rights Week," said Birdal referring to the numerous imprisoned politicians and human rights activists, such as Aysel Tuğluk and Mehmet Emin Özkan.

'THE MIRROR OF A COUNTRY ARE ITS PRISONS AND ITS BUDGET'

Birdal stated that the jails and the budget are the mirror of a country, and that the entire picture can be seen by looking at the situation of both. Birdal emphasized that the budget currently being debated in Turkey is a warlike, confrontational, discriminating and hostile budget that is not based on human rights, and that the tragedies suffered in jails reflect this. Birdal emphasized that, according to the IHD, more than 1600 ill people, 106 of whom very ill, are in prison, and that, despite their constant calls for release, no action has been taken in this direction, not even throughout the pandemic. Birdal said that seriously ill convicts have the right to spend their final days with their family and relatives, and added that the release of sick prisoners is a mandate of human rights law. Birdal underlined that all political and social opposition should exert democratic pressure on the government and warned that otherwise it would be impossible to stop deaths in jail. Birdal remarked that, despite continuously raising this issue as human rights activists, no one is listening, and added that "this is precisely why we must organise an action that will make the reaction to our demands visible and strong."