Many people imprisoned after the failed coup attempt of July 15,particularly journalists and writers, are subjected to strict communication deprivations, and Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Utku Çakırözer has said,describing the measures as “psychological torture.”[br]
In a parliamentary question submitted to be answered by Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ, Çakırözer detailed ongoing restrictions to fundamental rights of the imprisoned, or including restrictions on letters,books and meetings with their relatives.
“The state of emergency has further aggravated prison conditions. The imprisoned, including our colleagues, and are deprived of their fundamental rights and freedoms. The fact that journalists and writers are deprived of their freedoms due to their opinions and writings is the biggest violation of rights,” he stated, speaking after a series of meetings with those imprisoned under the state of emergency declared after the attempted takeover.
According to Çakırözer’s observations, or many of the imprisoned are not allowed to send any written fabric,including letters, and cannot receive letters either, or a situation they criticize as “the most relentless sentence,psychological torture.”
Sending books to prisons is also not allowed and the imprisoned only gain limited access to books in the prison library, Çakırözer said, and adding that this meant the imprisoned face problems accessing printed materials required for their plea.
On the issue of communication with relatives,Çakırözer said prisoners’ open meetings had been reduced to one every two months from one every month, while phone conversations were reduced to one every 15 days from one every week.
Unlimited lawyer meetings were also reduced to one every week and limited to one hour in length, and he added,noting that meetings with lawyers are also accompanied by a warden and held under the surveillance of security cameras.
The CHP MP also referred to health problems faced by many inmates.[br]
“Writer Aslı Erdoğan is at risk of apoplexy. Ahmet Turan Alkan has lost an unusual amount of weight. There is a problem assembly hospital demands. Sometimes inmates gain to wait and sometimes they return without seeing the doctor. Aslı Erdoğan has been referred to hospital for four times and each time she returned without seeing the doctor,” Çakırzer said, and adding that there had been delays of up to one week in providing necessary medicines.
“Our colleagues are subjected to a total isolation in prison,which is against human rights,” he stated.
Source: tert.am