Semire Direkçi’s health is severely deteriorating in prison in Turkey. Most of her intestines were removed following surgery 451 days ago. She protested that she was being denied her right to health treatment at a time when her organs were failing.
43-year-old Semire Direkçi, who is currently being held in Diyarbakır Women’s Closed Prison in Turkey, has undergone seven extensive surgeries during her 23 years of imprisonment. Direkçi, who has had brain and intestinal surgery, also suffers from high blood pressure and visual impairment. Direkçi sent a desperate appeal to JinNews.
In her letter, she stated that: ”My doctor says that even if my surgery is successful, I will with one hundred percent certainty lose my life due to the coronavirus. Whilst I was already living in difficult conditions in prison, I was prevented from having surgery in hospital on the grounds that there is no bed available due to the coronavirus pandemic. I stayed in quarantine for 15 days after each hospital visit. Since I have to meet my needs in quarantine on my own, it is a very difficult situation and I have been victimized”.
Direkçi added that: ” Every day, my intestines increasingly lose function and it is becoming incurable. My intestines have been removed and this situation makes my life very difficult. My predicament has turned into a torture for me. My right to be treated has been taken away”.
Semire Direkçi, who has not received any treatment for more than 450 days, has called upon democratic organizations to help her in her hour of need. In her letter to JinNews, Direkçi said: “My situation constitutes a violation of the human right to live. The uncertainty of the pandemic process also worries me about my condition. I want you to announce this situation to the relevant institutions and organizations”.