Human Rights Association (IHD) Ankara Branch has announced its 6-month report on violations in prisons in Central Anatolia Region. IHD Central Executive Board member Nuray Çevirmen read the report at the meeting held at the association building. 

 

Nuray Çevirmen stated that according to IHD data, at least 31 prisoners died in various prisons between July and December 2024. Nuray Çevirmen said, "17 prisoners died due to illnesses and prevention of right to treatment, 1 prisoner died due to accident, 1 prisoner died due to food poisoning and 12 prisoners died in suspicious circumstances. In the Central Anatolia Region, in July-December 2024, at least 3 prisoners went on an indefinite-involuntary hunger strike against rights violations in 4 prison. According to the report, at least 980 violations of the right to health occurred in Central Anatolia Region Prisons between July-December 2024. Most of these violations were reflected as preventing prisoners from being referred to full-fledged hospitals for treatment, not being taken to the infirmary, delaying referrals for nearly 6 months, delaying releases despite ATK reports, and hygiene problems."

 

Nuray Çevirmen pointed out that at least 408 violations occured within six months and added, "However, it has been determined that the number of prisoners subjected to torture and ill-treatment is much higher than the stated number due to the fact that the Ministry of Justice does not share the data on this issue, the continuous prevention of communication in prisons, the strict control of communication, the difficulties in receiving news especially in provincial prisons, and the fact that judicial prisoners do not communicate their experiences to the press, authorities and human rights organizations. Among these torture and ill-treatments, strip searches, deportations, practices of wardens to provoke prisoners, physical torture and verbal abuse especially in Sincan Women's Closed Prison were reflected in the report."

 

Nuray Çevirmen stated that the rights of prisoners to conditional release and probation were also prevented by the decisions of the Administration and Observation Board and said, "In the Central Anatolia Region, 14 prisoners were investigated, 27 prisoners were given disciplinary penalties, 10 prisoners were given solitary confinement, 1 foreign national prisoner was prevented from the right to leave on the grounds that he was not in good behaviour, 99 prisoners were prevented from the right to conditional release and probation by the decision of the Administration and Observation Board, 3 of them waited for their release period and 18 prisoners were burned in execution; 1 prisoner's good behaviour was cancelled on the grounds of his application for violation of rights and he was transferred from open to closed status. In total, 169 violations of rights were detected."

 

It was also determined that prisoners were forcibly exiled to places far away from their families. These deportations were carried out without informing the families in any way, and it was stated that the families were informed about these decisions most of the time when they came to visit. At least 55 prisoners were transferred and exiled against their will.