DİYARBAKIR - Prisoners in Diyarbakır Women’s Closed Prison applied to the İHD Diyarbakır Branch through letter regarding the violations of their rights in prison.

 

Prisoners in Diyarbakır Women’s Closed Prison made an application to the Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır Branch on June 2 through a letter regarding the violations of rights in the prison. In the application made, woman prisoners expressed their difficulties and right violations due to Covid-19.

 

All activities have been removed

 

In the letter sent to the İHD Diyarbakır Branch, the prisoners stated that all activities such as open visits, sports, hobbies, and courses were removed due to the pandemics. Prisoners also stated that although personnel constantly give social distance warnings, the staff of the institution encounters the double handcuffs application that ignores the social distance on their way to and from the hospital. In the letter, it was stated that during the ward searches were made in violation of the pandemic rules with many personnel, and it was stated that the searches were made frequently. Prisoners, who said that there were no conditions suitable for Covid-19 measures in the prison, stated that for this reason, many prisoners in the prison recently tested positive for Covid-19. It was also mentioned that although some of the prisoners showed symptoms, their tests were done late.

 

‘Healthcare personnel are in prison for one day’

 

The following statements were noted in the evaluation of the İHD regarding the applications made by many prisoners through letters: “It is stated that although some prisoners show signs of recovery, they stay in the same ward with prisoners who have a positive test. Some prisoners were taken to the hospital after the Covid-19 test was positive, but they were not released from the ring vehicle; It is a very serious situation in the letter in which the drugs were delivered by the attendants without a doctor's examination. It is stated by the prisoners in the letter that there is only one day health personnel on weekdays in the prison, and there are no health personnel at all on holidays and weekends.

 

Prisoners clean the ward with their sick condition

 

The prisoners stated that their symptoms and health conditions were not followed up regularly, and that the same devices were used both in positive cases, in contacts and in those who were quarantined for going to the hospital. Prisoners state that no measures such as protective clothing are taken for worker prisoners who are in one-to-one contact. It was stated that no fruit or additional food was given to the prisoners who tested positive and were in contact and quarantined. The prisoners report that they could not benefit from the vegetable, fruit canteen and internal canteen for 12 days. In addition, there are many problems due to not paying attention to the hygiene of the quarantine wards throughout the prison; It was stated that the prisoners placed in the wards that were left very dirty were obliged to clean these wards as they were sick.”

 

Met with woman prisoners

 

Upon the letter sent by the woman prisoners, the İHD Diyarbakır Branch Prison Commission went to the prison and met with the women.

 

İHD filed an application for violations of rights

 

Afterwards, İHD sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice, Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) Human Rights Investigation Commission and related institutions on the subject. In addition, an application was made to the relevant prosecutor's office before the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the violations of rights.