Ramazan Akbaşlı (55) was a political prisoner, who had been detained in Van F-Type Closed Prison since 19 November 2020 on the allegation of “being a member of a terrorist organisation”. On February 22, he was taken to Van Yüzüncü Yıl Dursun Odabaşı Medical Center Hospital allegedly after he had attempted suicide in prison. 2 days later he lost his life, according to a Mesopotamia Agency (MA) report.
The family never believed that Ramazan Akbaşlı took his own life. An “examination and autopsy report” was prepared and the family has also applied to the Van Branch of Turkey’s Human Rights Association (IHD) for “legal and humanitarian aid”.
In the autopsy report, it was determined that there were bruises on some parts of Akbaşlı’s body which supports the family’s claims about his death. They think Akbaşlı did not kill himself but he was murdered in prison.
Moreover one of his relatives said that Akbaşlı was threatened by some people in prison. These people also told him that they work for the state as “intelligence”.
Akbaşlı’s wife Nemuş Akbaşlı also mentioned the unlawful practices her husband Ramazan was subjected to during his detention.
“He was innocent, the bruises on his body prove that he was tortured, they killed him, he was innocent but they killed him,” she said
Ramazan Akbaşlı called his family and asked to meet with his lawyers just the day before he was hospitalised. The family believes that he was trying to say something.
“He asked for help, he is not the type of person that would take his own life,” said his wife Nemuş Akbaşlı.
It was also reported that Ramazan Akbaşlı had been visited twice by people who claim they work for the Turkish states intelligence. They threatened him through his family, according to MA: