Ismail Tamboga was arrested when he was 16 years old during the curfews in Cizîr (Cizre) district of Şirnex (Sirnak) province in 2015 and he was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment on charges of "delibrate killin" 3 times and "disrupt the unity and territorial integrity of state" 1 time for allegedly takin part in clashed resulting in death. Ismail Tamboga, who is being held in Diyarbakır T-Type Prison, suffers from advanced stomach disease, pneumonia (lung disease) and oral and dental health problems. Tamboga, whose teeth have fallen out due to the deterioration of his jaw structure, has been fed only with formula for a long time. Due to the deterioration of the jaw structure, dental prosthesis treatment is not applied, only implant treatment is applied. Tamboga's condition got worse day by day and he weighed down to 38kg. Tamboğa, who has completed his 10th year in prison, cannot be treated because he has not been diagnosed although 9 years have passed since the relapse of his disease.

 

Tamboga is on the list of seriously ill prisoners of the Human Rights Association (IHD) and he was hospitalised 3 times in September 2023. Tamboga's condition worsens day by day as he is constantly hospitalised and his illness cannot be diagnosed.

 

Tamboga's health condition is on the agenda of rights defenders. The Association for Civil Society in the Penal System, the Diyarbakır Bar Association, the Human Rights Association (IHD), the Diyarbakır Branch of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) and the Association for Assistance and Solidarity with the Families of Prisoners and Convicts (TUAY-DER) issued a statement on 18 April calling on the Ministry of Justice to immediately release Tamboga for treatment.

 

HIS TEETH FALL OUT AND HE CANNOT EAT

 

Kumriye Tamboga went to see her son recently and said all his son's teeth had fallen out and  he could not eat. Kumriye Tamboga stated that her son has been held unjustly for years and said that he was left to die. Kumriye Tamboga said, "All his teeth have fallen out, they are not treated. Prison conditions are also bad and he cannot eat anything. My son has been in prison for 10 years, but he has been ill for 9 years. And for 9 years we still don't know what his illness is, it is not diagnosed. We ask, 'What is his illness?' and they say, 'We don't know'. He was hospitalised at the faculty in Diyarbakır for 2 months, but no diagnosis was made. His friends have been bathing him and giving him food for years. He was constantly fainting and these faints still continue. If his friends do not help him, he cannot fulfil his own needs. We want ill prisoners to be released. We want peace. We do not want war."

 

'IF THE STATE IS SINCERE, IT WILL RELEASE ILL PRISONERS'

 

Referring to Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "Call for Peace and Democratic Society", Kumriye Tamboga said that this call created hope for them. Kumriye Tamboga said, "If the state is honest and sincere, it will release ill prisoners like Ismail who are in serious condition. Only then can we believe in the sincerity of the state. A process has started and our eyes and ears are on how this process will proceed. We pray day and night that this process will succeed. If it succeeds, maybe our ill children will be released."

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut