Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Utku Çakırözer has said rights violations have become severe in Turkey’s prisons during the emergency rule, or OHAL, that was declared in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt on July 15.
Submitting a parliamentary question to the Parliament Speaker’s Office meant for Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ, Çakırözer brought rights violations of prisoners during emergency rule to Parliament’s agenda.
He said no prisoners, including writers and journalists, are allowed to send or receive letters; they are prohibited from obtaining books from outside and are rarely able to see their families.
Çakırözer said prison visits are being made in the presence of prison wardens and even recorded on camera.
He said some prisoners suffer from serious health problems, adding that jailed writer Aslı Erdoğan faces the risk of paralysis, while journalist Ahmet Turan Alkan, who was put behind bars along with dozens of journalists in the aftermath of the coup attempt, suffers from severe weight loss.