Ahmet Doğan, who lived in the Pirinçik (Qirxalê) village of Diyarbakır, was sent to prison 5 days after having been taken into custody with other 24 people on December 8, 2019 within the scope of the investigation carried out by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of Diyarbakır. Among the grounds of his imprisonment, which are based on witness statements,  listed "Being a member of the organization", "Helping the organization" and "Keeping explosive substance”. Being sent to Diyarbakır Type D Closed Prison, Doğan was released in the first trial of the case opened against him few days ago. Doğan spoke about the violations of rights in the prison to the Mezopotamya Agency (MA). 

 

BOTH PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL ATTACK

 

Noting that he was taken into custody and sent to prison unlawfully, just like the other 30 people taken with him, solely based on the witness statements, Doğan stated that the enemy law reached the peak amid the coronavirus pandemic and there are no measures taken to protect the lives of the prisoners. “We had a hard time in terms of maintaining hygene.  We were coping with the virus with our own means. They want to do whatever they want under the name of Corona. They were trying to turn the crisis into an opportunity. There was  a pressure upon us which included both psychological and physical attacks”, told Doğan.

 

PRISONER’S FINGER IS AMPUTATED

 

Sharing the information that all the prisoners, who were taken to the hospital  were exposed to intimate search, stripped naked, Doğan said the ill prisoners, who need to be hospitalised urgently, face maltreatment Incompatible with human dignity. “The prisoners who are exposed to forced naked body search face the danger of virus as well, but the prison management does not give up  on this imposition. In the ward I was staying, we had a friend, named Hasan Aşa. His fingers were catching infection all the time. We have applied many times for the treatment of our friend. However, they treated him only 6 months later, which caused the amputation of one of his fingers about 1,5 month ago. There is the possibility that the necrosis may spread to his hand from his fingers. There is a possibility that his whole hand might have to be amputated. The ones, who are responsible for the delayed treatment are the responsibles of his amputated finger” told Doğan.

 

THE PROBLEMS IN THE PRISON 

 

Noting that political prisoners are left to death in Turkish prisons Doğan told, “Our friend Aziz Işıktaş also has medical problems. He was hospitalized many times, yet his teeth have not been treated. He has not been ablo to eat properly for 8 months. Prosthodontics, which was given to him are too big for his mouth, so he can’t use them. On the other hand, they distribute 3 prisoners a meal for one. Everything can be find in a regular meal from cockroaches to hair. All the applications we filed regarding this problem has not been replied neither by the prosecution office nor by the prison management.”

 

THE CANCER PATIENTS 

 

Drawing attention to conditions of the ill prisoners, Doğan told, “In almost all the wards there is an ill prisoner. The old friend we call Apê Dedo (Mehmet Emin Özkan)  is above 80 years old. They don’t even let him go. He is cancer patient. Another ill prisoner friend is Halil Güneş, who is also cancer patient. I am not willing to say it like this, but he is on the final stages of his illness and he probably has a few months left to survive, yet he is not released.” Doğan called for solidarity and awaraness for these harsh conditions in the prisons.

 

MA / Fethi Balaman - Fahrettin Kılıç