Rights Violations in Trabzon Prison on Parliamentary Agenda

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Van MP Tayip Temel has brought the rights violations and allegations of torturte and ill treatment in the Trabzon Beşikdüzü Type T Closed Prison into parliamentary agenda.

Temel has stated that "in prisons where political prisoners are held, inmates are subjected to humiliating practices by the wardens, who justify their behavior by referring to the circular letters of the Ministry of Justice."

Addressing the news regarding allegations of torture in the Beşikdüzü Type T Closed Prison, Temel has added, "The inmates called their families and said that they are subjected to violence and maltreatment at morning and evening hours and their most basic humanitarian needs are not met."

Will an investigation be launched against wardens?

Temel has submitted a parliamentary question to be responded by Minister of Justice Abdülhamit Gül. Temel has asked a series of questions, including:

* Have you been informed about the rights violations committed in the Trabzon Beşikdüzü Type T Closed Prison?

* Will an inspector be appointed by the Ministry of Justive to conduct an investigation into the allegations?

* What urgent steps will be taken by your Ministry regarding the ongoing rights violations in prisons?

* Will an investigation be launched against the prison wardens who have allegedly committed rights violations?

Prosecutor's Office: Prisons meet EU standards

Making a statement for the press regarding the issue, Trabzon Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has claimed that "the inmates have been trying to attract the attention of the public and the media with their ungrounded allegations of torture and bad prison conditions".

The Office has also added "the living conditions in the Beşikdüzü Type T Prison meet the standards set by the European Union (EU)". (AS/SD)