JINHA

IZMIR – HDP politician Ertuğrul Kürkçü has called for an independent delegation of doctors and human rights workers to inspect Şakran Prison near Izmir, where three pregnant minors are being held in solitary confinement. Etuğrul says that the local prosecutors in the city of Izmir will lead a more in-depth investigation.

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Izmir MP and candidate Ertuğrul Kürkçü visited the prison yesterday along with a delegation of NGO activists. Later that day, he met with state prosecutors in the Aegean city of Izmir. They say they will be leading disciplinary efforts into the guard accused of leading the campaign of abuse against prisoners.


The Şakran Prison is notorious for human rights violations. Over the weekend, it emerged that three pregnant minors are being held in solitary confinement as a punishment for being pregnant. In a letter sent by women inmates to their lawyer, the prisoners reported that the situation in the prison has escalated with the confinement of the three girls. The letter said the three girls were being denied medical treatment, despite suffering labor pains, and that guards were abusing child prisoners. Prison administrators are claiming that the allegations are false.

"For these doubts to go away, there needs to be not a delegation chosen by the governor, but an independent delegation composed of human rights defenders,” said Ertuğrul.

Speaking outside the public prosecutor’s office yesterday, Ertuğrul noted that the ultimate cause of this abuse was the policy of jailing minors in a high security prison. He noted that the situation of impunity for guards in the prison meant that “violence is brought in for the smallest event.”


At the prison, Ertuğrul and NGO activists met with one of the three pregnant minors, who reported that she was being held in solitary because she had complained about the abuse of a female guard. Lawyers from pro-human rights law associations continued interviewing all three minors yesterday.


(nt/fk/cm)