Rights group demands the release of Kurdish politician Aysel Tuğluk, all ill prisoners

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The Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır Branch Women's Commission has called for the release of all ill prisoners and former MP of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Aysel Tuğluk, who has been held in the Kocaeli Kandıra Type F Prison since December 28, 2016.

In its statement on Tuğluk, who suffers from dementia, the Women's Commission has stressed that it is now imperative to suspend the execution of her prison sentence until she recovers: "Otherwise, this practice contrary to human dignity will bring about irreversible consequences."

The statement has also referred to the Article 16/2 of the Law on the Execution of Sentences and Security Measures:

"...In other diseases, the execution of the sentence continues in the sections of public health institutions allocated to prisoners. However, if the execution of the sentence poses a risk to the prisoner's life even in this case, the execution of the sentence is deferred until recovery."

Summarizing the process that Tuğluk has been going through, the İHD Diyarbakır Branch Women's Commission has said that Aysel Tuğluk cannot meet her basic needs such eating and drinking by herself, noting that her condition is deteriorating by day due to prison conditions.

Addressing the authorities in conclusion to its statement, the Women's Commission has said, "We call for the suspension of Aysel Tuğluk's sentence during her illness as part of the duty to 'protect and defend human rights' in terms of protecting the right to life, the most basic right."

Accordingly, the Commission has noted, "In this process where the access to the right to healthcare is hindered and the right to healthcare and life of ill prisoners is systematically violated, we request that Aysel Tuğluk and all ill prisoners be released as soon as possible."

What happened?

On December 29, 2016, when she was the Vice Co-Chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Kurdish politician Aysel Tuğluk was arrested along with seven other politicians from the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and the Democratic Society Congress (DTK).

The indictment filed against Tuğluk, who was the DTK Co-Chair till September 2014, brought her statements to the press as well as the funerals that she attended as criminal evidence against the politician.

On March 16, 2018, the Ankara 17th Heavy Penal Court sentenced Aysel Tuğluk to 8 years in prison as per the Anti-Terror Law (TMK) no. 3713. Increasing this prison term by half, the court then gave a 12-years prison sentence to the politician. Lastly, it has decreased this prison sentence by one sixth and ruled that she shall be sentenced to 10 years in prison.

As Aysel Tuğluk's appeal to the Ankara Regional Court of Justice was rejected, her file was sent to the Court of Cassation.

Her mother's funeral

Aysel Tuğluk's mother Hatun Tuğluk lost her life in 2017. Upon her last will, her deceased body was brought to the İncek Cemetery in Ankara. Aysel Tuğluk left prison by permission and her mother was laid to rest; shortly afterwards, a group of 5-6 people gathered to protest the funeral.

The ones who attended the funeral said that this number gradually increased and they tried to attack the grave.

As the attacks continued, the deceased body of Hatun Tuğluk had to be removed from the ground and laid to rest somewhere else. One of the people who attacked the funeral turned out to have a picture with Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu at the police station.

Health problems

Aysel Tuğluk's elder brother Alaattin Tuğluk said that his sister had a memory loss after their mother's passing:

My sister didn't look fine. She asks the same question 3-4 times. She doesn't remember some things. For instance, when she wants to ask about someone from the family, she says, 'Who was that, who?' They are close people, it is impossible for her to not know them. I am concerned that this will come to an irreversible point and that we will lose my sister... I want treatment before it is too late. Let another committee examine her and give a decision accordingly. She is given 1-2 medications now. It is not enough. She will go [to jail] after her treatment ends.

About Aysel Tuğluk

Politician.

She was the founding member and Co-Chair of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) and elected Diyarbakır MP in 2007-2009. She became the Van MP of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in 2011-2015. She served as the Vice Co-Chair of the HDP responsible for Law and Human Rights.

Aysel Tuğluk was also a member of the Society and Law Studies Foundation Executive Board, a member of the Human Rights Association (İHD) and the founder of the Patriotic Women's Association.

Born in Elazığ in 1965, she graduated from the Faculty of Law of İstanbul University and worked as a self-employed lawyer. (TP/SD)