Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reports that the families of prisoners have reaced angrily to torture of their family members by guards for resisting strip searches on transfer from Antalya L-Type to Antalya S-Type Closed Prison. “Who gave them the right to torture our children?” they say.
Twenty Kurdish political prisoners in Antalya L-Type Prison were severely beaten, forced to speak in the Turkish language, had their hands cuffed behind their backs, and were kicked by the guards when they resisted strip searches while being transferred to the newly built S-Type Closed Prison, also in Antalya.
Families were informed about the situation during their weekly phone calls. Families of prisoners Seyithan Aşkan, İslam Erdoğan, and Veysi Avar, living in the Silopi district of Şırnak (Şırnex), responded to what happened by making an application to the Human Rights Association (IHD) in Antalya.
Adil Aşkan, father of detainee Seyithan Aşkan, stated that prisoners at Antalya S-type prison face inhumane treatment.
“Authorities said there were no strip searches in prisons. If not, then what is this? They are subjected to strip searches even during transfer from the L-Type to the S-Type prison. I telephoned my son myself yesterday. He said that they were subjected to strip-searches and exposed to illegal practices,” he said.
He said, “They are hungry and thirsty. How come the public accepts this cruelty? We, the families of the detainees, do not accept this cruelty.”
Emine Erdogan, the grandmother of another political prisoner Islam Erdogan, is angry about what is happening to her grandson.
“Who gave right them to torture our children?” she demands. She emphasises that her grandson was a child when he was arrested.
“My grandson was 13-14 years old when he was arrested. They took him from his sleep. Now they are persecuting him. My grandson is still a child. Who gave them the right to torture our children?” she says.
Güllü Avar, mother of detainee Veysi Avar, also defines what is happening as persecution, and said that they would not accept it.
“We do not accept the persecution of our children. I will not accept this torture of my child.”
The Antalya Branch of the Human Rights Association went to the prison and met with the detainees after the families’ application.
IHD lawyers stated that the conditions of the victims had now improved and that there was no need for clinical treatment. The detainees were placed in 3-person cells in the S-Type Prison. The IHD will produce a report on the matter in the coming days.
