Sena Dolar 

 

ISTANBUL - Stating that prisoners who showed symptoms of Covid-19 and had contact were not tested in Bakırköy Prison, MATUHAY-DER co-chair Esin Çelik stated that prisoners caught with coronavirus were kept in the quarantine ward without treatment.

 

During the pandemic period, violations of rights in prisons are increasing day by day. Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison, where seriously ill prisoners were previously denied access to the right to health, is on the agenda this time with the absence of the coronavirus test. Wards raids, not being tested on prisoners showing Covid-19 symptoms, and not applying medicines and treatment methods to those who are tested deepen the problems in prisons and raise concerns in the public.

 

Esin Çelik, co-chair of the Marmara Association for Solidarity with the Families of Prisoners and Convicts (MATUHAY-DER), stated that the prisoners in Bakırköy Prison were not tested, and called on the authorities to accept all demands, especially the demands of the prisoners on hunger strike.

 

‘Cases increasing, no making test’

 

Stating that the violations continued increasingly after the hunger strike in prisons, Esin stated that the wards were frequently raided by the soldiers and this situation further increased the concerns during the period when the Covid-19 epidemic increased in prison. Stating that Covid-19 cases have increased in many prisons, especially in Bakırköy, Esin said: "Most recently, Abdürrahim Demir, who was seriously ill in prison in Edirne Prison, caught Covid-19. Nine female prisoners were caught in Covid-19 in Gebze. It was learned that all three of our friends in Silivri Prison, who made phone calls with their families this week, were Covid-19."

 

‘Prisoners with Covid-19 are not treated’

 

Noting that despite the increase in cases and contact, there is no Covid-19 test in prisons, Esin stated that the prisoners submitted a petition on this issue. Stating that there are 20 prisoners in the same ward in some departments and most of them have chronic diseases, Esin said: "If the prisoners are not tested, how will it be understood whether it is Covid-19? In prisons, all prisoners need tests, and those who catch coronavirus need to be treated. In the last process, the information that came to us is that the prisoners were taken to the hospital, brought back to prison and quarantined. They are quarantining, but this disease has a medicine, there is a cure, but there is absolutely no cure."

 

‘Violations in prison are not accepted’

 

Emphasizing that the government does not accept the rights violations in prisons, Esin said: "Let alone doing something, there is a situation of not accepting problems. There were naked search discussions recently, and they refused to accept him either. Violations in prison are not accepted."

 

‘All prisoners must be vaccinated’

 

Esin pointed out that violations of rights have increased especially with hunger strikes and pointed out that the prisoners' existing immune systems are weak even under normal conditions and continued his words as follows: "They are in the process of hunger strike and they are in a more risk in terms of health because they are alternating. For this reason, all prisoners should be tested for Covid-19. It was previously stated that the Covid-19 vaccine should be made for sick prisoners. At this stage, not only sick prisoners, but all prisoners should be vaccinated with Covid-19 regardless of age. "

 

Both the pandemic and the hunger strike worry

 

Esin finally said: "There is no improvement in terms of testing prisoners in all prisons. There is no positive response to petitions written. Both the pandemic and hunger strikes worry us. We want to take a step in this direction as soon as possible."