The Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Urfa (Riha) Branch Prison Commission released its report on the recent deportations from the city’s prisons.

ÖHD Urfa Branch Prison Commission co-spokesperson Deniz Akyıldırım spoke about prisoner Abdulkadir Kuday, who was not released despite his health problems in the Metris R Type Closed Prison and thus died.

Akyıldırım stated that the political power was responsible for Kuday’s death, and added: "Abdulkadir Kuday was murdered as a result of the political power’s policy towards Kurdish political prisoners. It should be known that those who commit this irresponsibility will of course be held accountable before the law one day. The state should defend human life, not death. We are not accepting this practice, and we reiterate once again that we will fight for justice for all ill prisoners’ right to life violations."

Speaking about the deportations, Deniz Akyıldırım said: "Forced deportations, which have become a tool for ill-treatment and discrimination, especially against Kurdish political prisoners, continue to be implemented. We have reported in detail the policy carried out with the increasing deportation from Urfa prisons."

Akyıldırım noted that 56 prisoners were deported from the prisons in Urfa to different prisons in the last year. Underlining that 52 percent of the deportations were made to Erzincan, Deniz Akyıldırım continued as follows: "13 percent of deportations were made to Adana, 11 percent to Erzurum, 6 percent to Antalya, 6 percent to Samsun and 4 percent to Elazığ prisons. It is clear that since 84 percent of the prisoners were deported more than once, it is difficult for them to adapt to the place they are deported to, their material and spiritual integrity are affected and their communication with their lawyers and families is badly affected. According to our report, only 16 percent of the prisoners were not deported, while the remaining 84 percent are seen to be subjected to permanent deportation."

Akyıldırım said that rights violations occurred in 33 percent of the deportations, and added: "45 percent of the applicants we interviewed stated that their belongings were not given to them after exile, 15 percent stated that there was torture, and 15 percent stated that no precautions were taken for their illnesses."

Torture increases in prisons as isolation in Imrali continues

Akyıldırım said: "We see that the isolation practices against Mr. Abdullah Öcalan is spreading to all prisons and to society in general. The increase in deportations is one of the results of this isolation policy. The most natural rights of prisoners are being taken away through deportation. The attitude and political mentality that does not consider prisoners as human beings, sees them as tools of political pressure. We do not accept that the most basic rights of political prisoners are taken away."

Bedriye Ulutaş, the mother of prisoner Ali Ulutaş, who was deported from Urfa to Antalya High Security Prison, said: "Lift isolation. We will follow our sons and daughter wherever you take them. Lift the isolation on Abdullah Öcalan. Put an end to discrimination."