JINHA

ANKARA – As 19 wounded residents remain trapped in a basement in the town of Cizre and unable to access medical care due to Turkish state attacks, the case will now be brought to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after a rejection by Turkey’s Constitutional Court.

Eight days ago, 28 people were wounded in Turkish state attacks in the besieged town of Cizre. No ambulance has been able to reach them as of yet, as Turkish state forces bombard the house and prevent ambulance access.

When lawyers applied to the ECHR regarding the condition of the Cizre wounded, the court was unwilling to see the case before lawyers exhausted all legal options within Turkey.

Yesterday, Turkey’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, ruled against a case regarding the right to medical treatment for those in the basement, thus exhausting all legal avenues in the country.

In its reasoning for the decision, the court ruled that “those reported to be the applicants” in the case had exhibited “reluctant” behavior about notifying state officials about their needs and had communicated excessively through “third persons.”

For days, MPs have been in negotiations with local state officials about the possibility of an ambulance. Three MPs have also gone on hunger strike until the situation is resolved.

The court also cited “uncertainty” over whether those in the basement (six of whom have succumbed to their wounds) are actually wounded or not.

“The court has reached a determination not to provide an injunction due to the lack of clarity over whether the persons mentioned are wounded or not; if they were wounded, whether their conditions are severe or not; under what conditions they were wounded; if all of them are wounded; if they are armed or not; and what address they are located at,” said the court.

The lawyers handling the case, from the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), have taken the case to the ECHR as of yesterday evening.

(sy/cm)