Hunger strikes and "death fasts" continue in many prisons in Turkey. Physicians declare that at least 122 remanded and convict prisoners who are on "death fast" for up to 166 days have reached the edge of the death.
Measures required to be taken in order to put an end these actions are as follows:
1. Single and "small group" isolation practices should be ended.
2. Remanded and convict prisoners who have health problems should be treated by doctors according to medical criteria and without interference.
3. Independent investigations and appropriate trials should urgently be initiated on the "Operation" of 19th December 2000 as well as previous prison operations which ended with death and injuries.
4. Practices in prisons and detention places should be monitored by independent boards which civic organisations being represented.
These are the urgent measures that need to be taken regardless of the prisoners' actions and that raised not only by remanded and convict prisoners who are on hunger strike but also by human rights organisations and international organisations, particularly the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT).
The CPT, observing the compliance of Turkey's obligations under the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, requested in its preliminary report of 29th January 2000 that isolation practices should be ended urgently and that common areas should be opened to use as an urgent measure.
Taking these measures will avoid further deaths and lasting disabilities of many remanded and convict prisoners. These measures must be taken urgently as the minimum obligations of the government. Isolation is a form of torture; most of the prisoners concerned are already torture survivors regarding the treatment inflicted on them prior to imprisonment.
The government states that it is against isolation practices but it imposes a strict isolation regime, justified now on the grounds of Article 16 of the Anti Terror Law. However, Article 16 has been in force for the last 10 years and there has been no need for conducting isolation so far. Article 16, which we have been insisting for its amendment for 10 years, does not provide indeed isolation practices when considering international obligations of the government and Council of Europe Standard Rules on Prisons.
To put an end to isolation in prisons and detention places (being the same places under current practice, including the F-type prisons) and other bad practices conducted, which have been intensified after the prison operation on 19th of December, and to take the above-mentioned urgent measures are under the government's authority and are the obligations of the government. Although we wish necessary legal arrangements to be made as soon as possible, we ask the government to take the measures mentioned above without awaiting amendments, and, at the same time, we expect the prisoners to end the hunger strike.
This will provide a starting point to discuss the practices in F-Type prisons and more generally to improve regulations concerning prisons on the basis of human rights.
Best regards,
Human Rights Association (IHD)
Turkish Union of Engineers and Architects (TMMOB)
Diyarbakır Bar Association
Helsinki Citizens Assembly
Organisation of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed People (Mazlum-Der)
Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD)
Solidarity Association of Remanded and Convicts Prisoners' Families (THY-Der)
Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Union (DISK)
Confederation of Public Service Employees' Union (KESK)
National Headquarters of Community Centres
Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association (PSAKD)
Foundation of Turkey and Middle East Forum
People's Democracy Party (HADEP)
Foundation for Social Democracy (SODEV)
Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP)
Labour Party (EMEP)
Democracy and Peace Party (DBP)
Intellectuals and Artists Initiative for Prisons