Questions Sent to Imprisoned Journalist Kibriye Evren Censored

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Arrested on October 11, 2018 and transferred to Diyarbakır Type D Prison, imprisoned journalist Kibriye Evren has spoken to lawyer Ülkü Şahin from Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) about her prison conditions and the problems that she encounters in prison together with other inmates.

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Based on the accounts of Evren, lawyer Şahin has indicated that the interview questions sent by Mezopotamya Agency (MA) and BBC to the imprisoned journalist were seized.

Şahin has also stated that as Diyarbakır Type E Prison was closed, all inmates have been transferred to the women's prison inside the Type D Prison. She has also shared the following information:

* When she was on hunger strike, Kibriye Evren lost 13 kilograms, her body weight fell to 44 kilograms. She currently weighs 45 kilograms.

* Since the meals served in prison are in a thick tomato sauce high in fat and are not hygenic (with mouse feces and pieces of glass), she cannot eat well. They do not give salt to inmates, either.

* Though she is held in women's prison, they do not give her sanitary pads and, when they do, they give her pads of old type, the thick ones.

* Evren and her fellow inmates cannot do pastime activities.

* The only newspapers sent to them in prison are Evrensel and Cumhuriyet. Though the inmates have also requested daily Yeni Yaşam and jineoloji magazine, they do not receive them.

* There is a 10-book limitation. As it is a new prison, it does not have a library. Inmates cannot exchange books, either.

* She cannot write letters since envelopes, pens and paper are not delivered to prison. For that reason, she cannot work on her planned book, either. Some of her letters are not delivered to her.

What happened?

Journalist Kibriye Evren, a reporter for Jin News website, was taken into custody as part of a Diyarbakır-based operation on October 9, 2018. She was arrested on October 11 and sent to Diyarbakır Type E Closed Prison.

Evren has been charged with "being a member of a terrorist organization" and "propagandizing for a terrorist organization". In the indictment filed by Public Prosecutor Şahsuvar Yıldız, her journalistic activities and social media messages are cited as elements of crime.

Having her first hearing on December 6, 2018, Evren will have her next hearing on September 24, 2019. (EMK/SD)