Rights groups and lawyers have renewed urgent calls for the release of Mehmet Emin Çam, a 73-year-old Kurdish prisoner held in Batman’s (Êlih) Beşiri Type T Closed Prison, after he suffered two heart attacks while in custody and continues to face serious medical risks.
On 16 April, Çam had been hospitalised at Batman Training and Research Hospital after a heart attack. He remained under strict surveillance, reportedly even handcuffed during examinations. Despite doctors’ concerns, Çam was returned to prison on 22 April, before his treatment was completed.
On Sunday, lawyer Nezahat Celen filed a formal application to the Batman Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, citing Turkey’s recently passed 10th Judicial Reform Package. The request demands a suspension of Çam’s sentence, arguing that his medical condition prevents him from surviving in prison.
Medical reports confirm that Çam has severe heart disease, a growing brain tumour, partial paralysis, and chronic kidney issues. He also struggles with hearing, vision, and psychological distress, frequently requiring hospitalisation. Due to his age and blocked arteries, further surgery has been ruled out.
Human rights defenders say Çam’s continued incarceration violates his right to life. “There is no legal, moral, or human justification for this,” said DEM Party co-chair Tuncer Bakırhan. The Lawyers for Freedom Association and multiple bar associations have also demanded his immediate release.
His case has come to symbolise broader concerns about Turkey’s treatment of seriously ill prisoners. Activists continue to circulate the hashtag #MehmetEminÇamaÖzgürlük (“Freedom for Mehmet Emin Çam”), calling on authorities to act before it’s too late.
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Calls mount for release of seriously ill prisoner Mehmet Emin Çam in Turkey
