Kurdish political prisoner Nail Demir (59) has been released after 30 years in Afyonkarahisar Closed Prison No.1. His release has intensified scrutiny of Turkey’s justice system, particularly concerning the long-term imprisonment of Kurdish political prisoners.
“Today, the wrong has been corrected, and Nail Demir has been released,” stated Ali Bozan, a member of parliament from the Green Left Party. Bozan had previously raised Demir’s case in the Turkish parliament.
Demir was initially due for release on 12 August but was told his release date had been postponed by six months on the decision of the prison’s Administration and Observation Board. His appeal for an earlier release was rejected despite his suffering from colon cancer and prostate issues. “His release was only granted after an appeal to the high criminal court,” said Bozan.
Demir is among more than 200 Kurdish political prisoners who have been incarcerated since the early ’90s on terrorism-related charges. These prisoners have also faced various human rights violations during their time in prison.
She is also a Peace Mother
One such Kurdish political prisoner, Muhlise Karagüzel (61), is a Peace Mother, advocating for a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish-Turkish conflict. She too has severe health issues, having suffered three heart attacks and being 90% disabled. Her release has not been granted and she remains incarcerated in Menemen R-Type Prison even though she has been issued with a medical report stating that she is not fit enough to be in jail. “Her solitary confinement increases the risk to her life,” said Meryem Bars, a member of the Istanbul Branch of the Human Rights Association.
Prisoners’ rights advocate Miheme Porgebol said, “The ’90s were a period of intense state violence in Kurdistan, marked by the deployment of paramilitary groups and the establishment of mass graves. Thousands of Kurds were arrested and tried in State Security Courts, essentially military tribunals. Though the death penalty was later abolished, many of these prisoners were never re-tried.”
Porgebol further elaborated on the systemic issues, stating, “One such prisoner is Mehmet Savur, who has been imprisoned for 33 years. Savur’s release has been repeatedly postponed by the state on grounds such as ‘not showing remorse’ and ‘insufficient family visits’.” The advocate emphasised that the state is effectively implementing a “slow death penalty” by refusing to release prisoners who have completed their sentences. “With more than 200 prisoners still not released despite having completed their 30-year terms, the policies of the ’90s continue to be enforced,” Porgebol added.
On his release from his 30-year imprisonment, Nail Demir was heard to proclaim, “Biji berxwedan!” (Long Live Resistance!). The struggle for justice for Kurdish political prisoners in Turkey remains far from over.
