Letters from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) to imprisoned deputy Omer Faruk Gergerlioğlu were not passed on by the prison administration, reports the Mesopotamia News Agency.
Gergerlioğlu was stripped of his parliamentary seat and immunity following a Supreme Court decision and sentenced to two years and six months in prison. An arrest warrant was issued and he was detained in his home in Ankara on 2 April. Gergerlioğlu has been behind bars in Ankara’s Sincan Prison ever since.
During his detention, Gergerlioğlu announced that he is launching a vigil against the injustices he is facing and began the vigil in the Turkish Parliament. After his arrest, he continued the vigil in prison, and it has now reached its 54th day.
Speaking to Fırat News Agency (ANF), Gergerlioğlu’s son Salih said that the HDP’s letter was not given to his father because the news outlets within the letter were considered “suspicious”.
“They claimed that reports by the Mesopotamia News Agency are objectionable and that is why they did not deliver the letters,” said Salih Gergerlioğlu, adding: “I think this is not true since later we also prepared another letter for him and there were reports from the foreign press in it but they did not give that letter either. They are trying to isolate him”.
Salih Gergerlioğlu also noted that his father is deprived of his rights and not allowed to watch television and is denied access to books and magazines. “He is kept in a cell and I learned from him that although it is hot outside, almost 30 degrees, he is still cold in the cell since there are no windows. They are trying to silence my father’s resistance but they will not succeed.”
Salih Gergerlioğlu criticised the opposition party and other groups in Turkey for remaining silent about his father’s case. “On the other hand, I think that parties other than the HDP remained silent about these injustices. It’s not about my father, but if they expect the public to speak, they should speak first. If the parties or the main opposition are silent, how can the public speak up?”
