The Human Rights Association (IHD) unveiled its “Elazığ Campus Prisons Human Rights Violations Inspection and Determination Report” during a press conference held at the Diyarbakır Branch, shedding light on interviews conducted with inmates at Elazığ Campus Prisons.
Ercan Yılmaz, the President of the Diyarbakır Branch of IHD, addressed the media, sharing details of their investigation at Elazığ prison, Bold Media reported.
Yılmaz revealed that judicial authorities declined their request for a meeting, citing, “We journeyed to Elazığ to scrutinize recent applications. Before entering the prison, we sought a meeting with the prosecutor, but our request was denied, citing the Chief Prosecutor’s tight schedule and other prosecutors being on leave.”
Families Kept in the Dark After the Incident According to a report featured on T24, the following findings were highlighted:
“At Elazığ Prison No. 1 High-Security Prison, during the early hours of August 7, 2023, two criminal inmates (subject to the Anti-Terrorism Law) gained access to the rooms of other inmates who were detained and convicted under the Anti-Terrorism Law, engaging in acts of assault, detention, threats, and insults. Drawing on consistent testimonies from victims and witnesses among the inmates, it’s discerned that the assailants breached the rooms where detained inmates resided using door handles employed/maintained by enforcement protection officers. Importantly, it’s noted that during this time, prison staff responsible for inmate security didn’t intervene in any way. This paints a bleak picture of the prison environment, signaling a significant security lapse.
Furthermore, despite the passage of a considerable amount of time since the attack, the report revealed that concerned institutions and investigating authorities failed to provide any public disclosure or alleviate the anxieties of inmates and their families.
Based on accounts given by inmates following the attack, it was found that medical referrals were delayed, and ring vehicles were employed for hospital transfers instead of ambulances.
The delegation also ascertained that dental treatments for inmates were consistently postponed, and the quality of meals provided by the prison administration was subpar. Additionally, products available in the prison canteen were priced higher compared to those outside the prison.
The report further revealed that female inmates, facing various charges, were predominantly held alongside male inmates in the T-Type prison, creating a precarious prison atmosphere for female detainees.”
Report Recommendations The report issued a series of recommendations, including:
- Urgent revision of the existing inmate execution system in Turkey to prioritize inmate well-being, human dignity, and fair treatment.
- Prompt disclosure of the attack and other incidents occurring within the prison to both the public and relevant authorities.
- A call for an effective investigation to identify the inmates involved in the incident and public officials who may have displayed intent or negligence in the event.
- Implementation of necessary measures to end the practice of housing inmates with differing offenses within the same prison or corridors.
- Restructuring of the Administrative Observation and Classification Center to base decisions on objective criteria, addressing concerns about the lack of legal basis and abstract reasoning in their reports. This would ensure that many inmates, who should be eligible for parole after serving a portion of their sentences, are not subjected to sentence extensions. Additionally, requests for transfers to other facilities due to unfavorable evaluations should be addressed in accordance with objective criteria.
