DİYARBAKIR - A committee was formed about the fire and torture in Diyarbakır Women's Closed Prison and held a meeting with the prisoner Şükriye Gezgin. In the report prepared after the meeting, it was stated that the prison officers threatened Şükriye, saying: "You will be tortured every two days."

 

Diyarbakır Bar Association, Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır Branch, Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Diyarbakır Branch and Rosa Women's Association prepared a report on May 31, when a fire broke out in Diyarbakır Women's Closed Prison and detainees were tortured. The report included interviews with the prisoner named Şükriye Gezgin regarding the crimes of torture, ill-treatment, insults, and threats.

 

In the report, it was stated that when they met with Şükriye in the prison, it was observed that there was a long sleeved, knee-length apron, which was given to her by the Prison Administration at the first stage, without buttons and closed with a single lace, and that the apron contained only a bra, and trousers. It was also noted that Şükriye had visible wounds on her face and body.

 

The following findings were included in the report:

 

“* Beat marks on the left side of the forehead, linear injuries,

 

* Swelling on the right side of the forehead, which we think is very new,

* Red spot on the upper right side of her back with an average length of four fingers, (it said that it was a cosh mark)

* Bruises in various parts of both hands,

* Bruises on the fingers of both hands,

*Linear wound incisions on the left arm, which we have observed to be new in the area from the wrist to the elbow, (glass cuts)

* Linear cuts on the right arm, which we observe to be very old, in the area from the wrist to the elbow,

* Red spots were detected on both ankles,

* She said that there was swelling in the back due to the blows she received on her head, but it could not be observed by us,

* She stated that she was battered again by prison officers around 14:00 on June 1 and that the swelling on the right side of the forehead, which we mentioned above and which we think is very new, was caused by battering,

* The prisoner also declared that she was not given dinner on May 31, and that she refused the food given the other day.”

 

In the report, Şükriye’s statements were given as follows:

 

“* Victim; She declared that she was 22 years old, that she had been in prison since she was 15, that her parents were also in prison, and that his right to telephone had not been used for two weeks. Victim; On May 31, at around 20:00, she asked the prison officers for a cigarette, burned her blanket after the officers refused to give her cigarettes, and then a short-haired officer came to the room where she was alone, intervened in the fire, took her out to the courtyard, handcuffed her and hit her head on the concrete floor. She stated that after that, three more officers came to the courtyard and beat her again and insulted her very heavily.

 

* The victim, being affected by smoke, was taken by the Prison Administration to a hospital whose name she did not know in handcuffs, and while she was waiting in the hospital corridor, she suddenly shouted, "They are torturing the prisoner," and attacked one of the officers who took her to the hospital, whereupon she was hurriedly brought back to the prison without being examined. She stated that after being in prison for an average of 15 minutes, she was taken back to the hospital, had an examination and was brought back to the prison around 24:00.

 

* The victim, upon returning from the hospital, was put in a solitary cell and despite all her insistence, her clothes and no personal belongings were given to her; declared that cleaning materials, blankets, bed linen, pillows were not provided. The victim also stated that she was informed by the officers that her clothes and all her belongings were burned during the fire.

 

* The victim said that the windows of the single cell she was placed in after the fire and the hospital were broken; She stated that she was deeply affected by the torture she suffered because her insistent demands for her clothes, personal belongings and needs were not fulfilled in any way, and therefore she injured herself in many places with the broken glass piece and left arm. She stated that the linear cuts on the left arm, which we have just observed in the region from the wrist to the elbow, are formed for this reason.

 

* The victim stated that she was insulted by the prison officers by saying, "You are not worthy of anything" during the whole process. Again, the victim; She declared that she was threatened by the prison officers by saying, "You will be tortured every two days" throughout this entire process.

 

* Victim; According to the information she obtained from other prisoners staying in different rooms, she stated that some prisoners had witnessed the sounds of torture. Victim; she stated that she had platinum in her mouth and therefore had to stay clean and that she still suffered from pain as a result of not being given toothpaste and toothbrush.”

 

‘Necessary punishment should be done’

 

As a result of the examinations, the committee stated that Şükriye was subjected to torture, ill-treatment, insult, and threat crimes by prison officers and staff, and that formed an intense and serious opinion that she was subjected to arbitrary torture. The delegation emphasized that when the findings are taken into consideration, an investigation should be initiated immediately against the relevant prison officers and staff, and the suspects should be punished in accordance with their actions as a result of the investigation to be conducted in accordance with international standards.