Prisoner reports constant raids in Van High Security Closed Prison

Seyfettin Demhat, a seriously ill prisoner in Van High Security Closed Prison, said that people in uniform and plain clothes raided their wards day and night, and that they could not hear from a friend they had taken away at night during these raids.

Torture practices against political prisoners in Van High Security Closed Prison are increasing. Seyfettin Demhat, an ill prisoner suffering from FMF (Familial Mediterranean Fever), talked about the rights violations they experienced in prison with his family in a weekly phone call and called on non-governmental organizations to take action.

'We don’t know where they have taken our friend'

Seyfettin Demhat called his family on 12 September, and told them about the violations of rights in the prison. “There are raids of the wards day and night. Some people in uniform and plain clothes raided our wards at all hours of the day. Because of these raids, we can't even eat anymore. They scatter everywhere in every raid. Our situation is very bad. They took a friend of ours, who was in the ward during the raid they carried out at night. We don't know where they have taken him. We have no news about him."

Şengül Martı said that she was worried about the safety of her brother Seyfettin Demhat and other prisoners, and called for a delegation from non-governmental organizations, IHD and Van Bar Association to go to the prison as soon as possible to investigate the incident.