Prison Conditions around Ankara

SOURCE: OZGURGUNDEM.ORG

The Ankara branch of the Human Rights Association (HRAHuman Rights Association ) published a report on prisons in Inner Anatolia for January to April 2008. Speaking for the commission on prisons Derya Efesoy said arbitrary disciplinary punishments were given and the rights to communicate was violated. On their way to hospitals prisoners were disposed to arbitrary treatment of soliders.

Examples from prisons in Bolu, Kirikkale and Sincan were given as follows: Despite the decree 45/1 of the Justice Ministry of January 2007 the right for meetings of 10 prisoners for 10 hours a week was not granted. In protest 120 prisoners in Bolu F-type Prisoners boycotted the 3 monthly meetings of 3 hours each.

On the way to court soldiers incite common criminals, mainly female prisoners to attack political prisoners. The rooms were the prisoners have to wait for trial and the seats are wet so that the waiting becomes an ordeal. On the way to court and/or hospital soldiers hit the prisoners with their elbows in particular on the ribs.

Despite proposals of the prison doctors to transfer prisoners to hospital the transfers do not take place. In case that a prisoner is taken to a hospital s/he is forced to be examined with handcuffs on. Soldiers attend the examinations, even if a woman is examined on being pregnant.

In Sincan F-type Prison No. 2 the prisoner Hasan Eroglu died, because he was taken late to the infirmary and subsequently had to wait for a search.

Prisoners are not allowed to write letters or cards in Kurdish. Arbitrary penalties such as single cell, ban on visits or letters can lead to prisoners without a contact to the outside world for months.

In Kirikkale F-type Prison there is not enough water and their demand to get drinkable water is not met. The water they can buy in the canteen has a ery high price. In Sincan Women's Closed Prison the controls at the entrance last very long, because the x-ray is out of order. Therefore, visits that should last one hour are cut to 30 or 45 minutes.