The health condition of 94 per cent disabled Emrah Nebioğlu, who is on the Human Rights Association's (IHD) list of seriously ill prisoners, remains serious. Nebioğlu's lawyer Veysi Atmaca, who is being held in Antalya S-Type Closed Prison, applied to Batman 3rd High Criminal Court for his client's release a while ago. After the court rejected the request, an application was made to the Forensic Medicine Board (ATK). On 15 August, the ATK issued a report stating that he could remain in prison. 

 

Speaking about the report given by ATK, lawyer Atmaca shared that ATK asked his client "If you have a chronic illness, why did you fight against DAESH, what were you doing there?". Atmaca stated that there was a "cannot stay in prison" report issued by Antalya Regional Hospital about his client and that the hospital decided that chronic kidney disease posed a life risk, but the release decision was not given. 

 

Atmaca reacted: "This behaviour of the ATK is against the basic principles of law. It shows that it makes political decisions and does not keep the Hippocratic oath. This decision is far from medicine. Although Antalya and Batman hospitals reported that he 'cannot stay in prison', ATK did not release him." 

 

Noting that the ATK is preventing the release of dying prisoners with political decisions, he said: "The only thing the ATK should do is to scientifically reveal the condition of the patients. A person who is 94 per cent disabled, whose both kidneys are failing and who needs to go to the hospital twice a day is not being released on the grounds of 'suspicion of escape'."

 

Atmaca pointed out to the ongoing Peace and Democratic Society Process: "One of the urgent steps to be taken is the immediate release of ill prisoners. The state has so far failed to do this in this process. The ATK should be taken under control urgently and sick prisoners should not be left at the mercy of the ATK."

 

ABOUT NEBIOGLU

 

Emrah Nebioğlu (33) was paralysed after being shot in the head during protests against DAESH attacks on Kobanê in 2014. Afterwards, he was charged with "terrorist organization membership" and sentenced to 7 years and 3 months in prison. Nebioğlu, who was in intensive care for 37 days due to an injury he sustained before his arrest, underwent three operations during this period. As a result of the injury, his left arm and leg and left nerve neurons were completely paralysed. Nebioğlu, who cannot walk without support and cannot meet his basic needs, also suffers from kidney failure and high blood pressure.

 

Batman Training and Research Hospital gave Nebioğlu a 94 per cent disability report on 25 December 2019. Nebioğlu was arrested in 2022 due to the prison sentence given against him and sent to Antalya High Security Closed Prison. Antalya Training and Research Hospital also issued a similar report in 2022. However, despite these reports, Nebioğlu was not released. Nebioğlu's file is still under review at the Court of Cassation.

 

MA / Fethi Balaman