, previously known as the Green Left Party (YSP), have launched an investigation into claims of severe mistreatment in a prison in the eastern province of Ağrı, the Stockholm Center for Freedom reported, citing the Bianet news website. ){kind=link}
Deputies from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Peoples’ Party (DHP), previously known as the Green Left Party (YSP), have launched an investigation into claims of severe mistreatment in a prison in the eastern province of Ağrı, the Stockholm Center for Freedom reported, citing the Bianet news website.
Several deputies have been investigating the claims at Patnos L-Type prison. They interviewed the Patnos chief public prosecutor and female inmates who were allegedly subjected to mistreatment. According to the deputies, there are credible indications that two female inmates were mistreated.
Earlier in September local human rights groups announced that inmates Lale Kabişen and Nazlıcan Barışer were physically assaulted by prison guards during a raid on their wards on August 31. The two were later hogtied, taken to a waiting room and made to sit there for four hours.
The mistreatment was reportedly carried out in the presence of three prison administrators, one of whom told the victims, “This is what you get for leaking what’s going on to the outside world.”
When the prisoners were taken to the hospital, they were rear-handcuffed and dragged by their hair to a waiting vehicle.
The DHP deputies said both women had bodily injuries that corroborated the allegations. Furthermore, the prison administration turned down all meeting requests from the deputies, and the Ministry of Justice did not to respond to questions on the matter. The parliament’s Human Rights Committee also remained silent to requests for an urgent meeting.
In a written statement to the press, the Patnos chief public prosecutor said an official investigation into the claims would be launched.
Bar associations and human rights organizations in Turkey have been reporting hundreds of mistreatment allegations involving prison facilities and police detention centers every year. Some inmates, such as Garibe Gezer, died soon after the reported incidents.
An atmosphere of impunity generally prevails over these incidents as authorities either refuse to investigate or give lenient sentences to prison guards convicted of mistreatment, sometimes despite available video footage confirming the allegations.