HDP brings CPT report on Turkey's prisons into parliamentary agenda

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputies Meral Danış Beştaş and Saruhan Oluç have submitted a motion to the parliament, requesting an inquiry into the practices against human dignity in prisons.

The motion came after the two reports on the country's prisons release by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT).

CLICK - CPT reports stress overcrowding, ill-treatment in Turkey's prisons

Saying that torture and maltreatment in prisons are a "chronic" problem of Turkey, the MPs noted that the problem of overcrowding has not been solved despite a number of new prisons, citing the CPT reports.

"The government, which has long forgotten the discourse of zero tolerance to torture, expands the ring of torture only with every new prison it opens.

"Turkey is the country where the CPT pays the most impromptu visits. The institution paid more than 30 visits, with 22 impromptu and seven routine visits. These numbers of visits are in themselves the indication of how grave are the problems in Turkey's prisons. It is also emphasized in the reports that the problems have not been eliminated despite all the warnings."

The situation of İmralı Prison

The MPs also pointed out the CPT's observations about the İmralı Prison, where the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader, Abdullah Öcalan, is held.

"An important part of the last published report was again about the İmralı Prison. It was stated in the report that there has been no improvement regarding the regime in İmralı since the April 2016 visit.

"The situation regarding ill prisoners was also mentioned, and it was stated in the report that suitable facilities were not provided for their treatment. Overcapacity was also stated during visits to Diyarbakır, Urfa, Silivri, Bakırköy, Metris and Maltepe prisons.

"Despite the fact that many new prisons have been built, the only reason for the crowded population in the wards is the government, which is becoming increasingly authoritarian.

"Considering that the corona outbreak is spreading, the wards being so crowded makes prisoners even more desperate against the disease. Referrals to hospitals have been removed due to the outbreak, and ill prisoners are clearly at risk of death.

"No precautions are taken against the outbreak, no hygienization is made, the variety of the food is decreased due to the outbreak, let alone being nutritious, the food contains harmful substances are among the ongoing complaints." (AS/VK)