TAYAD and the struggle of political prisoners in Turkey

The attacks on prisoners in the F-type prisons doesn’t come to an end.
There’s nothing, the families of TAYAD wouldn’t do for their imprisoned relatives
The F-Type prisons were opened on 19th December 2000 with a bloody massacre.
Since their opening the attacks against political prisoners never stopped.
These attacks, which continue since 14 years are now supplemented with cameras, which were installed in the prison yard.


They started to set up those cameras in a way, so that they can watch the inside of the prison cells. This situation is not caused by the decision of single prison administrations, but by a central policy towards the prisons.
The cameras were firstly installed to the cell yards of Bolu’s F-Type prison. The prisoners changed the direction of these cameras, covered them or coated them with shoe polish to render them ineffective.

After the prisoners protested the cameras with actions (like knocking the cell doors and shouting slogans), they were given disciplinary punishment. It is attempted to prevent the prisoners from communicating with each other. Further they try to controle their whole lifes while watching with cameras for 24/7. This means the prisoners are put under psychological pressure by creating the feeling to be watched for 24 hours. This is the most severe kind of psychological torture. While being completely isolated from the world outside, somebody is watching their every move…
A second form of attack are the visitor’s cabins for lawyers, which are made of bell jars. The visitor’s cabins will be completely surrounded with glass. This way, they won’t just control every movement between the prisoner and the lawyer during the conversation, but they will also listen to them for the glass is sonolucent.
There’s no aspect for accepting such a system and the prisoners of the People’s Front either refuse the visit or they break the glass panel.

The bleeding wounds of the prison… Ill prisoners.
The number of ill prisoners is 544, of which 162 are seriously ill. Since the situation of ill prisoners rapidly turns into terminal illness, ill prisoners are constantly leaving prisons in coffins. The prisons have almost turned into a grave for ill prisoners.

The reason for their diseases is Isolation!
Firstly; Before the opening of the F-type prisons in 2000, the number of prisoners who died from their illnesses were not comparable with the high death rates of today. After the opening of the F-type prisons the number of coffins which were carried out of the prisons rapidly increased. The only reason for this is the ISOLATION POLICY in the F-TYPE PRISONS. The isolation conditions in the F-type quickly caused the prisoners to collapse physically and psychologically and is the main reason for their illnesses. After the opening of the F-types many prisoners committed suicide because of psychological depressions as a result of isolation.
Secondly; Since the isolation policy in the F-Type prisons prevents the treatment of ill prisoners, diseases quickly turn into terminal illnesses. As the isolation policy prevents the diagnosis of illnesses, it also abolishes the treatment. Between the years 2000-2013, 2,304 prisoners and convicts were killed in prisons, and still prisoners are still being murdered. Prisoners and convicts who can not be treated under prison conditions, have to be released. But they aren’t and their treatment is deliberately prevented. It is as simple as this, if a prisoner gets seriously ill inside a F-Type prison, he is condemned to die there.
AKP is also killing the prisoners. The death of prisoners and convicts is not even mentioned in the news. All kinds of obstacles are put in the way of a treatment of political prisoners,until they reach the death’s doorstep. The AKP sees the revolutionary prisoners as an enemy and is using the illness of these prisoners as means to force them to their knees…

Since the foundation of TAYAD, there is no action its members did not take or wouldn’t be ready to do.
On the 16th of June the TAYAD families opened a hunger strike tent for 10 days in front of the Cevahir Shopping Mall in Sisli to demand freedom for ill prisoners… The police attacked and arrested them.
Others opened a nylon tent and resisted at their place. In order to make the voice of the prisoners heard, the TAYAD-families opened a stall in front of the Galatasaray grammar school on 23rd, 24th and 25th of June, where they gathered signatures and opened a tent. Each time when the police confiscated their tent, the opened a new one.

Ankara march

The families, who were constantly attacked in their 10 days lasting hunger strike tent for the ill prisoners, started step by step with their Ankara march from 28th of June 2014. They started to march for their imprisoned relatives without complaining “I feel bad, I’m ill”.
Before starting the march to Ankara they opened a banner writing “The ill prisoners shall be released! Cabins with glass panels and spying on prisoners with cameras for 24 hours is torture! End Torture of Isolation within Isolation!” Afterward they started their march. First they went from Istanbul to Gebze by car. From there the TAYAD members went to Kocaeli.

After visiting the youth association in Kocaeli, they went to houses for sleeping.
On the second today the trip continued to Yalova. After going to Orhangazi by car, they continued their trip by foot. The mothers and fathers of TAYAD were surrounded by the police. During the whole march cars passing Greeted them. While having a break at a service area and eating fruits, they collected water on their feet with injector. They applied balsam and continued their way. Breaks were kept short, because they wanted to reach Gemlik early. They marched for three hours without a stop. Persons responsible for the food went first.
When the TAYAD-members reached the central square of Gemlik, they held speeches and explained the reason for their march. People looked out of their windows, they applauded the elderly mothers and fathers. After the first action they ate their meals and prepared the actions which was going to be held in the evening.
In the evening the TAYAD families opened their banners in front of a shopping mall and in a press statement they informed about the ill prisoners and about the Ankara march. Police always walked around and filmed.
After the families went to Bursa by car they continued with their foot march.
The mothers and fathers of prisoners passed difficult slopes, sang march songs and nobody complained.

One of the families, Fahrettin Keskin’s blood pressure dropped and he felt bad. But he wanted the march to be continued, saying “Even if I die, I want you to continue. I don’t want that this march to stopp”.
The pain they feel with their elderly body, becomes clear in these words. But they didn’t want to end the march and went on by pushing their own limit.
The next stop was Eskisehir. There they read a press statement. Late at night they reached Ankara and went to houses, where they would sleep. The next morning at 10.00 p.m. they gathered at the famous Abdi Ipekci Park.
In the same hours two members of TAYAD carried out a protest in front of the Ministry of Justice. One of the these members reported following: ”First we put on our T-shirts. Civil and uniformed police began to move. We throw 4 plastic bottles with red color, which should represent the blood, of which the Ministry of Justice doesn’t get enough while killing our children. After throwing the bottles we said ‘You couldn’t get enough of blood. Here you have it’.
Later the families went from Abdi Ipekci Park to the Sakarya Street to held their action. They opened banners and marched towards the Ministry of Justice. After reading a statement the group marched to the Yüksel Street with its banners and slogans in order to wait for the delegation which was in a meeting in the parliament. One hour later the delegation went out with slogans. They reported that the conversations were positive and that they will hold a common press conference with some MP’s the coming week.

Two members of TAYAD made a fire on the Taksim Square to draw attention to the ill prisoners

On the 17th July two members of TAYAD fueled a big circle and made a fire close to the Taksim memorial, while they opened a banner writing “The state spies on the prisoners with cameras and kills the ill prisoners! We will demand reckoning“. They called on the people and said, that they would never leave the ill prisoners alone.
When riot police forces and civil policemen saw the action, they immediately intervened before the speech could end and took the banner of the TAYAD members by force. Although the activists were arrested, they could impart their demands to the people with broadsheets. Feridun Osmanagaoglu and Murat Can Göcmen were later dragged to the floor, handcuffed from the back and arrested under torture. But afterward they were released again.
On the 20th July the TAYAD families opened a banner writing “The ill prisoners must be released”, listing the names of ill prisoners and started their march. In the front line mothers of TAYAD marched with white head scarfs and red headbands. During their action in which they explained the isolation tyranny in the prisons with posters, they also carried Palestinian flags to show solidarity with the people of Palestine, who are confronted with a massacre of Israeli Zionism. During the march they frequently shouted slogans.

Boycott of TAYAD on the anniversary of the June Uprising.

On the 28th of May the TAYAD-families opened a stall at metro bus station in Mecidiyeköy where they announced the boycott action planned for 30th May. The day after they gathered again at the metro bus station and distributed boycott broadsheets wearing cloaks. While distributing the leaflets they frequently said „AKP is a murderer. It has murdered Berkin Elvan. It has killed hundreds of our people in Soma, and finally it has killed Ugur. We’ll be in boycott for justice tomorrow. More than thousand leaflets were distributed to the people. Hundreds of people who took the broadsheets expressed their anger against the AKP.

 

12 of 490 serious ill prisoners:

They weren’t alone at any time. Nothing can destroy the determination for struggle.
Let’s strengthen their power for this struggle and for life with our support:

 

UFUK KESKIN: He suffers from Typ1 diabetes. He receives four insulin injections per day. Further he got ill with celiac disease. A diet is being applied. About this diseases there are several reports from hospitals and institutions. Ufuk Keskin was sentenced to life-long prison at Bolu’s F-Type prison.

MEHMET YAMAC: His thoracic cage is broken, his lungs are burned and he’s got difficulties to breathe.
His broken ribs wrongly healed, he’s got high blood pressure and rheumatic pain. There are reports available about his diseases. He is imprisoned since 1996 and received a life sentence. He remains at Tekirdag’s F-type prison No. 1.

HASAN TAHSIN AKGÜN: He receives psychological treatment of advanced degree. There was diagnosed schizophrenia. From time to time he has to remain in hospital. His crisis intensives from time to time, his medical treatment continues for a long time. He is unable to manage his life alone. About all those diseases there are several hospital and forensic reports. He’s got a life sentence and is kept at Tekirdag’s F-type prison No. 1.

MUSTAFA GÖK: He suffers from Wernicke Korsakoff. He’s got problems with his memory, with his balance and loss of retention. All these problems were noted in hospital and forensic reports. He remains at Sincan’s F-type prison No.1.

SÜLEYMAN ACAR: He suffers from traumatic epilepsy. He’s got platinum in his head and also suffers from hypertension. There are reports available.

HÜSEYİN ÖZARSLAN: He suffers from chronic Hepatitis B..
He also suffers from high blood pressure and pain in the joints. There are medical reports available. He was convicted to life sentence and is in prison for over 20 years. He remains at Sincan’s F-Type prison No. 1.

FİKRET KARA: He suffers from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrom, has got problems with blood presure and also suffers from sleep apnea. There are medical reports availabe for all those diseases. He remains aat Izmir’s Kiriklar F-type prison No.1.

TALAT SANLI: He suffers from Wernicke-Korsakoff. He’s got a report for 52% disability. He received a life sentence and is imprisoned at Kirikkale F-type prison.

YUSUF KENAN DINCER: He suffers from Wernicke-Korsakoff. Further he received an varicocele operation and his treatment is continuing. He suffers from all pains of Korsakoff disease. There’s a report available. He received a life sentence and is imprisoned at Kirikkale F-type prison.

ÖZLEM TASDEMIR: She’s got psychological problems and was diagnosed with manic depression. Her treatment has been continuing since 2008. Because her toe was amputated she’s got problems with blood circulation. There are reports available for these diseases. She is imprisoned since 1998 and was sentenced to life-long prison. She’s kept at Gebze’s Women Prison.

SELMANI ÖZCAN: He suffers from Wernicke-Korsakoff. He lives all symptoms and ailments of this disease. Further he’s got problems because of injury of a bullet at his feet. He’s imprisoned since 1992 and was punished with aggravated life sentence. He’s kept at Sincan’s F-type prison.

ALI TEKE: He suffers from Wernicke-Korsakoff. He suffers from every symptome of this disease. He was convicted with a life sentence. There are reports available for his disease. He’s imprisoned since 1992 and kept at Kandira’s F-type prison.

 

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