Lawyers from the Istanbul Bar Association have stood in solidarity with the students imprisoned in Marmara Prison. Throughout the holiday period, lawyers Ahmet Ergin and Mahmut Birdal visited the students daily and spoke to ANF about the conditions they witnessed. Lawyer Ahmet Ergin, a member of the Executive Board of the Istanbul Bar Association, reported that the students were placed in separate wards based on whether they were considered 'belonging to an organization' or not. He also said that two students injured during police violence have still not been transferred to a hospital. Lawyer Mahmut Birdal added that students have not been allowed to take their exams and that their academic records are being withheld without proper review.

Students in criminal ward had their heads shaved and were forced to clean

Lawyer Ergin said that three male students who had been placed in the criminal ward were finally transferred last week, following strong public reaction and the intervention of political figures. He added that the students were moved to the ward where other detainees from the Saraçhane protests are being held. Ergin noted that the students experienced serious difficulties during the roughly one week they spent in the criminal ward. He explained that two of the students, whom he spoke with directly before the transfer, said that the sides of their heads had been forcibly shaved and that they had been forced to clean the ward.

Sharing what the students told him, Ergin said: "They described practices similar to those that have already been reported to the public. They said that the conditions were very harsh during the first few days, but later things improved slightly. On the first day, a prisoner referred to as the 'ward representative' pressured them to shave their heads. This was reportedly part of the established routine in that ward, and every new arrival was subjected to the same treatment. The same practice was imposed on the students as soon as they arrived. They were also forced to do cleaning work. This clearly reflects the tragic reality of prison conditions." Ergin added that the three students were very anxious during their initial days in the criminal ward, but began to feel somewhat more at ease over time. Eventually, they were transferred and are now staying with the other students.

Students were separated as those detained in home raids and those detained in Saraçhane

Lawyer Ergin pointed out that due to the overcrowding in Marmara Prison, the students were separated into two groups in an unusual way: those detained in home raids and those arrested during the protests in Saraçhane.He explained: "The prison administration has effectively divided the students into ‘organized’ and ‘non-organized’ categories. Those detained in home raids, who are seen as politically affiliated, were placed in one ward, while those taken in from Saraçhane, who are considered non-political, were placed in another."

Two students injured under police torture still not taken to hospital

Ergin also reported that two students injured by police violence have still not been transferred to a hospital. One of them, a student named Yiğit, suffered broken ribs. Another, named Ismail, has a metal plate in his arm, which was dislodged during the beating.  According to Ergin, only one student who sustained a broken leg due to a police assault has been taken to a hospital so far.

Claim of torture in criminal ward is not accurate

Lawyer Mahmut Birdal, who visited one of the three students previously held in the criminal ward and later transferred following public outcry, said that the widely circulated claim that the students were subjected to torture is not accurate. While acknowledging that the students did face certain difficulties, Birdal made the following remarks: "here was some pressure placed on the students when they first entered the ward. However, the claim that they were tortured is not true. I was able to confirm this first-hand. They were forced to clean and were warned not to sit cross-legged. Two students had the sides of their heads shaved. But the student I spoke with said the situation was exaggerated. His hair was long, and he told me that he did not want to shave it. He said no one forced him. He said he spoke with the ward representative, who told him, ‘It’s your hair—if you want to shave it, it will be shaved.’ Since he did not want it, they did not cut his hair."

Some students forced to sleep on the floor as ward exceeds capacity

Lawyer Birdal stated that the three students had already been transferred from the B1 criminal ward to the B5 ward, where the other students are being held. However, he noted that even this ward might soon be changed due to overcrowding. He explained that the ward had exceeded its capacity, forcing students to sleep in shifts due to a lack of space for everyone to lie down at the same time. Birdal pointed out that the bunk beds in the ward were insufficient, with around 58 people sharing a single ward. As a result, some students were sleeping on the floor due to the lack of space.

Students remain in high spirits, focused on the struggle outside

Lawyer Birdal emphasized that the students' unlawful imprisonment has also disrupted their education. He explained that they were unable to take their exams last week, and those who have exams scheduled this week will most likely not be able to attend either. He stated that course materials and books have been delivered to the students, but the prison administration is withholding them until they are reviewed.

The students are currently waiting for this process to be completed. According to lawyer Birdal, the students’ morale is high. They are confident in the legitimacy of their struggle. They are more concerned about what is happening outside and often ask questions about it. They believe that continuing the struggle outside is what truly matters, and they are determined to return to that struggle as soon as possible.