HATAY -  The prisoners held in Yayladağı Prison, told that they were deprived of all their rights and added: "Our statements were taken under torture. We couldn't tell anyone about the injustice done to us." 

 

The Human Rights Association (İHD) Hatay Branch Prison Commission prepared a report on the violations of rights in Yayladağı Type T Closed Prison. The report was shared with the public with a press release at the İHD Hatay Branch office. İHD Hatay Branch Co-chair Mürsel Tonguç Salmanoğlu stated that they visited İ.M, İ.M and F.K, three prisoners from Afrin upon their application. Salmanoğlu stated that they prepared a report based on the narratives of 3 prisoners and drew attention to the  violations of rights experienced by the prisoners.

 

'OUR STATEMENT WAS TAKEN UNDER TORTURE'

 

Salmanoğlu said that İ.M. was detained and tortured by the Free Syrian Army (ÖSO) in Afrin in 2018, and then handed over to Turkey, and he was on trial for "killing two soldiers" and "disrupting the integrity and unity of the state" and was sentenced to 3 times aggravated life imprisonment. Salmanoğlu stated that İ.M. was also subjected to torture in Hatay and then he had been forced to sign the statement taken under torture.

 

'THE WHOLE WORLD SHOULD HEAR OUR VOICES'

 

In the report, Salmanoğlu quoted İ.M.'s statements as follows: "A total of 11 people were unjustly taken by ÖSO gangs with an accusation that we have nothing to do with. We were subjected to severe torture. We still have marks of the torture we were subjected to. Doctors did not give us an assault report and they didn't examine us. We did not act against Turkey, none of us were members of an organisation. We did not join any organisation or demonstration in our lives. It is the members of the FSA gang who detained us in Syria, then brought us to Turkey and tortured us with the soldiers in the Turkish gendarmerie station are members of a gang. We haven't been able to tell anyone about the injustice done to us for 3 years and 8 months. During this time, we haven't heard from our family in any way and we haven't been able to see our family. I am married, I have not seen my wife during this time. We did not have the right to a phone call with our family. The whole world should hear our voices. Human rights defenders should help us be heard. They should meet with us, it was an injustice that wasa done to us.”