The ‘’Justice Vigil’’, which was launched by the families of the prisoners at the Van Bar Association Service Building to release the seriously-sick prisoners and the prisoners, whose remissions were canceled and were not released, has passed a week. Since the beginning of the Justice Vigil, the determined stance and demands of the relatives of the prisoners continue, and the participation to the vigil is increasing day by day. The families in the Justice Vigil called and said, ‘’Let’s call out together, let’s say enough is enough’’.

 

‘They can’t go to the hospital, they can’t take their medicines’

 

Dılşah Alkan, a spouse of 67-year-old sick prisoner İbrahim Alkan, who has been held in Van F-Type Prison for three years and has heart, blood pressure and diabetes diseases, is one of the relatives of the prisoners who participated to the vigil. Dılşah pointed out that her spouse should be treated but this right was prevented. She continued, ‘’There are thousands of sick prisoners in the prison, they submit petition repeatedly to go to the hospital, they cannot get their medicines even if they take them to the hospital. We do not want anyone to die, let there be peace, enough is enough. How long will this continue?’’

 

‘He cannot stay in prison’

 

Emphasizing that her spouse was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison, but he should not stay in prison due to his illnesses, Dılşah said, ‘’We want all the prisoners who are sick to be released. Many prisoners are not released even though their prison sentences are over. As the prisoners’ families, we started the vigil. It is enough. If we dont’ all speak out, this persecution will continue. Let’s call out together, let’s say enough is enough’’.

 

‘We want all prisoners’ families to join’

 

Zeynep Dayan, a mother of Sinan Dayan, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison and has many illnesses, said that her son has been in prison for five years and four months and that he had two medical operations during this time. Saying that her son, who is in Van FType Prison, has been kept in the quarantine ward for two months, Zeynep continued as follows, ‘’I don’t know what is his situation now. Because he hasn’t called by phone for 20 days. I saw my child twice this year, they always quarantine him because he is sick. If he is going to stay in quarantine all the time, it is better for him to be with us, at least we’ll take good care of him at home’’.

 

‘As we became crowded so our voices will be heard more’

 

Expressing that they started the Justice Vigil to be the voice of the prisoners, Zeynep said that they expect support from other families as well. Zeynep continued, ‘’As we became crowded so our voices will be heard more. I want the relatives of the prisoners and relatives of the sick prisoners to join our vigil. There can be a solution if we come together for everyone in prisons’’.

 

‘Let’s all unite and ask for justice’

 

Sick prisoner Emrah Abi has been in prison for 10 years. His mother, Asya Abi, spoke as follows about the vigil, ‘’I came here for justice, I want justice. Emrah was staying in the prison in Van. They exiled him to Osmaniye Prison. I haven’t seen him for two months. The only reason they gave that much punishment is that he is Kurdish. Me too, I want other families to join us. Let’s all unite and ask for justice’’.