ANKARA - While the rights violations against the detainees continue, Gülten Benzer, the aunt of Süleyman Benzer, who has been imprisoned since 2010 and sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, has called for the violations of rights to end. Gülten pointed out that Süleyman was in difficult conditions.

 

Violations of rights continue to increase in prisons in Turkey and the region. In prisons, where the rights of the prisoners were violated, living conditions worsened with the pandemic. On the other hand, hundreds of prisoners in tens of prisons are on an indefinite-alternating hunger strike to protest the ongoing isolation on PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and the violations of rights against the prisoners.

 

One of the prisoners exposed to rights violations, Süleyman Benzer (31-year-old) was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment and has been kept in a solitary cell in Düzce T Type Closed Prison since 2018. Süleyman talked about the rights violations he was subjected to in a phone call with his family.

 

Süleyman’s aunt Gülten Benzer talked about the rights violations that Süleyman was subjected to.

 

‘We couldn’t hear your voice for a month’

 

Stating that Süleyman, who was arrested in 2010 and sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, has been in many prisons, his aunt Gülten stated that Süleyman is not alone and that they are seeking justice for him: ‘’Süleyman has been in prison for about 11 years. He has been held in a solitary cell since 2018. As his family, we cannot get any proper news from him. He is constantly in solitary confinement as he is given an aggravated prison sentence. We can hear his voice on the phone once every 15 days, since they have already given aggravated sentences, but the prison administration imposed a phone ban on Süleyman, using a single word they did not like on the phone as an excuse. We did not hear from Süleyman for a month. Despite being in a solitary cell, he is often given disciplinary punishment. Süleyman is subjected to gross violations of his rights, he is treated very unfairly.’’

 

‘He is subjected to severe isolation in the cell’

 

Gülten noted that Süleyman, who was kept in solitary confinement, was subjected to gross violations of rights, and that although he was in a solitary cell, the guardians frequently raided the cell and threatened Süleyman. Expressing that the prison administration and the guardians are making compulsory impositions, Gülten said: ‘’He is taken out for airing for one hour a day. However, they are arranging that airing to keep him away from political prisoners and to equate him with criminals. Süleyman went on a hunger strike by himself in 2018, led by Leyla Güven. Both we as a family and his lawyer can make limited meetings. They impose isolation upon him upon isolation. We want Süleyman to be refered. Although his friends in the file are not in the same prison, they are keeping him there. Both he and we, as his family, asked to refer him from the Black Sea, but all our petitions remained unanswered. We did not receive any positive or negative response. We are ready to do whatever material and nonmaterial necessary for the refer . They have a special attitude towards Süleyman. They apply a heavy psychological pressure. Since Süleyman does not bow down to anyone, they want to break his psychology. Not only was Süleyman given an aggravated life imprisonment, which he did not deserve, but he was also subjected to severe isolation in the cell.’’

 

‘We are seeking justice for this’

 

Gülten said that Süleyman demanded to be taken to near of his friends and to be given a television, she stated: ‘’Since he is in a single cell, he wants to be informed about the events outside, but his right to receive information has been violated. Because they do not give newspapers or television. He has been living alone for years and his will is strong, he just wants a television but is not given. They impose a complete isolation on him. We are seeking justice for this. Süleyman may have received an aggravated life imprisonment, but Süleyman is not alone.’’