BATMAN - After the uprising in Batman’s M-Type prison, lawyers and relatives warn that riots will spread if the political prisoners are not released like the other prisoners because of the pandemic.

 

On April 4, a riot over the corona pandemic was suppressed with the use of tear gas in the M-Type prison in Batman province. The prisoners demanded their release because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

The uprising had erupted against a draft amendment to the Penal Code adopted by the Parliamentary Justice Committee, which provides for the release of up to 100,000 prisoners because of the high risk of infection and to prevent the coronavirus in Turkish prisons. However, political prisoners are excluded from release. Relatives of the prisoners gathered outside the prison on Friday evening, demanding information on the situation of their relatives and calling for their immediate release due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

 

After the uprising 439 prisoners were transferred to the T4 prison in Amed (Diyarbakır). 202 of the prisoners were left in Batman. Emine Naif Hassan from Rojava told the Mezopotamya news agency: "I received a bullet in the back during the war. We came here and this is where my son and my husband were arrested. Now I am looking for my son." She fears for the health of her son and husband due to the pandemic and demands their release.

 

Bayram Baskın is worried about the health of his brother Azad, who is also imprisoned: "We are worried about my brother's health. Everyone else is too. Our main demand is that the prisoners are given equal rights and can stay at home during the pandemic. But our demands are not being met. We expect at least to be able to speak to our families on the phone."

 

DEFENDING THE RIGHT TO LIFE

 

Ramazan Çelik, whose brother Maşuk Çelik is a political prisoner, says: "During this time, everyone must protect themselves from the pandemic. The right to life is the very basis of justice. Therefore, the prisoners must be released immediately."

 

LAWYER: TRIGGERED BY THE DISCRIMINATION IN LAW

 

Ilyas Tarım from the Association of Libertarian Lawyers (ÖHD) says: "We know that the uprising was triggered by discrimination in the new enforcement law. Although this is clear, there has not yet been a clear statement on this. The same thing happened in Van prison, now in Batman and tomorrow it may happen somewhere else. The spread of the virus in the prisons is a sign of great difficulties that are coming. The prisoners must be treated equally and released immediately."

 

MA / Metin Yoksu