The Marmara Association for Assistance and Solidarity with the Families of Prisoners and Convicts (MATUHAYDER) launched a campaign with the slogan "Sending money to prisoners is not a crime" to draw attention to the situation of those arrested for sending money to prisoners. 

The campaign will continue

MATUHAYDER co-chair Dilek Sönmez Demir said that money sent to prisoners is not a crime and added: "We all know that families are arrested by the state because they send money to prisoners. We have started a campaign to show that, in fact, helping prisoners is not and cannot be considered a crime. This campaign will continue. We will continue to send money to all prisoners."

'Solidarity with prisoners is a duty'

Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Central Executive Board member Musa Piroğlu said: "Resisting people, resisting groups, workers and women are left alone. We see the climax of this isolation policy in prisons. The state uses isolation to punish prisoners. Not only is isolation imposed in prisons, but everyone who wants to show solidarity with prisoners is threatened. The government says that standing up for our rights is a crime that has to be punished.

Parents who send money to their children in prisons are arrested. Sending money to prisoners and solidarity with prisoners is not a crime but a duty."