70-year-old political prisoner Şakir Turan lost his life in Erzincan L-type prison. He had been sentenced to six years in prison in Turkey for supporting the PKK. Diagnosed with throat cancer in prison, Turan lost 35 kilograms in weight within four months. Despite his serious illness, he was not released. Most recently, 20 days ago, a medical report stated that there was no reason to suspend his prison sentence. Turan remained in hospital in Erzincan for a week, where he died early this morning.

Turan’s family was informed by the prison management about his transfer to the hospital. Only when fellow prisoners informed the family did his son Abdurrahman Turan go to Erzincan on 25 August. As the son reported, he could not see his father and was not given any information about his health. A lawyer managed to get a visit on 28 August.

"My father weighed 75 kilos when he went to prison. When I visited him, he weighed only 40 kilos. He could not walk and could hardly speak. My request to be his caregiver was refused," said Abdurrahman Turan. During his last visit, his father said goodbye to his family, saying: "He was kept in a damp place in the basement of the hospital. It was difficult for him to speak and there were six or seven gendarmeries with him. His feet were freezing. I wanted to put my stockings on him, but I was not allowed to. The gendarmerie kept watch as if my father wanted to escape. My father said goodbye to us and said: 'Take good care of yourselves and stick together. I'm leaving with my head held high, because I didn't take one step back'."

The Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) had demanded Turan's immediate release in July after a visit to the prison. The then HDP MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu brought the case to parliament last March in a question to the Turkish Minister of Justice. The question was not answered.

Şakir Turan's funeral will take place in Savur district of Mardin.