'Ill prisoners abandoned to their fate'

2025-12-05 10:13:06


	ADANA - Zahir Akalin, co-chair of Mediterranean Adana Association for Mutual Aid with Families of Prisoners and Convicts (AATUHAY-DER), stated that seriously ill prisoners are being denied treatment, violating their right to life, and called for an end to this practice and for ill prisoners to be released.

	Human rights violations against prisoners in prisons continue to increase day by day. It was stated that ill prisoners held in prisons in the Mediterranean region are particularly denied their right to treatment and are not transferred to hospital in a timely manner. Co-chair Zahir Akalin emphasised that prisoners in Adana Kurkculer Type F and Suluca No. 1 High Security prisons are deprived of their most fundamental rights.

	 

	

	 

	Akalin noted that the "oral search" imposed since 2019 in Kurkculer F-Type and Suluca No. 1 High Security prisons is still on-going, adding that prisoners are unable to access their right to health due to this imposition. He reported that there are 19 ill prisoners, 5 of whom are seriously ill, in Adana Kurkculer F-Type Prison, and 20 ill prisoners, 4 of whom are seriously ill, in Suluca No. 1 High Security Prison."This is a violation of the right to life. We do not accept this. This practice must be stopped," he said.

	 

	'RELEASE THE IMPRISONED PATIENTS'

	 

	Akalin stated that Hacı Alagas, who is over 65 years old and is being held at Suluca High Security Prison No. 1, suffered a second heart attack on 25 November and was taken to Adana City Training and Research Hospital, adding that the family had not been informed by the prison administration. 

	 

	"Hacı Alagas is currently in the general ward and is expected to be discharged. Both we and his family are concerned about his health. He had previously suffered from stomach problems. Even a healthy person becomes ill in prison conditions. The condition of ill prisoners is getting worse. As the association of prisoners' families, we want ill prisoners to be released," Akalin stated.

	 

	Referring to the on-going Peace and Democratic Society Process, Akalin said that while they expected democratisation in prisons in the new process, violations had increased. Akalin said they stood behind the process pursued by Abdullah Ocalan and made the following appeal to the Minister of Justice: "If the Minister of Justice wants to contribute to this process, he must immediately release the ill prisoners."

	 

	MA / Hamdullah Yagiz Kesen