Contentration camp of 21st century: Patnos Prison   

2021-11-30 10:44:19


	 

	AĞRI - HDP Ağrı Deputy Dilan Diyet Taşdemir stated that the violations of rights in the prisons are getting more dire by the day and said, "Patnos prison is the concentration camp of the 21st century."

	 

	 

	Patnos L Type Closed Prison, which was opened as a "pilot prison" in the region, came to the fore with violations of rights and ill-treatment after 2016. The prisoners in Patnos prison usually define the prison az a Nazi camp. Recently, prisoners Rıdvan Yusufoğlu, Sezai Damar, Hivzullah Mutlu, Resul Alcohol, Abdurrahman Çapan, Atilla Coşkuner and Kamuran whose last name could not be learned have caught Covid-19. While no information is being released by the prison regarding the Covid cases, it was learned that all Covid patients were put in a ward together. HDP Ağrı MP Dilan Dirayet Taşdemir and Human Rights Association (İHD) Van Branch President Mehmet Karataş made evaluations about what happened in Patnos Prison.

	 

	'WE HAVE DOCUMENTED THE VIOLATIONS' 

	 

	IHD Van Branch Co-Chair Mehmet Karataş stated that the structure of prisons in Turkey stems from the political conjuncture and legal legislation. Explaining that they documented the violations with a report they prepared as an association on violations of rights in prisons, Karataş stated that Turkey's perspective on political prisoners has not changed in any way.

	 

	CALL FOR AWARENESS

	 

	Noting that they, as an association, are closely following the violations of rights in Patnos Type L Prison, Karataş said that they are concerned about the coronavirus cases that increased recently. Emphasizing that an isolation is imposed on the prisoners in prisons, Karataş said, “Patnos Prison is constantly on the agenda with violations of rights. The fact that 4 prisoners had died recently shows what kind of a prison it is. The prisoners stated their demands with the hunger strikes but it did not lead to a result. Politicians and non governmental organisations must strengthen the solidarity and raise awareness."

	 

	INHUMAN PRACTICES

	 

	HDP Ağrı Deputy Dilan Dirayet Taşdemir, who submitted a parliamentary question to the Ministry of Justice due to the coronavirus cases and submitted a petition to the Parliamentary Human Rights Monitoring Committee, said that Patnos prison is known with the violations of rights from the day it was opened. Stating that the prison was built like a concentration camp, Taşdemir said, “Everything is arbitrary in Patnos prison. We have brought the issues in that prison to the agenda of the Parliament many times. But the violations did not end. We presented the violations of rights and the unlawful practices to the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission, the Parliamentary Prison Commission and the European Court of Human Rights. But still no attempt has been made. We have received information that there are patients who have caught coronavirus, their tests are positive, but they are not treated. Even though we called the prison director many times for the treatment of these people, we could not get a response."

	 

	CONCENTRATION CAMP

	 

	Stating that the prison is just like a concentration camp and the prison staff is making their own rules, Taşdemir told that the pressure on the prisoners increased with the pandemic. Taşdemir said: "All rights of the prisoners have been violated. They can not see their lawyers, they can not be visited by their families. Their books are not given. Strip search is imposed on all prisoners. Their wards are being raided on a daily basis. They can not access health care. Law is not implemented in Patnos prison. We can say that Patnos prison is the concentration camp of the 21st century. Non of our applications to the prison administration or the Ministry of Justice is responded. There is a wall of silence. The families are concerned. All human's rights organisations and NGO's working on prisons must raise awareness. We have to be the voice of these prisoners."