İZMİR - Seriously ill prisoner Abdurrahman Yıldırım, who has 2 pieces of shrapnel in his head for the last 26 years in prison, is not released despite the medical report that says he can not maintain his life in prison.

 

Prisoners who are not released despite their serious illnesses and reports proving they can not maintain their lives in prison are exposed to violations of their rights by all institutions, from the hospital to the prison. While violations of rights are increasing in prisons, torture, ill-treatment and suicide have been increasing recently. Since the beginning of 2022, 12 prisoners have lost their lives due to serious illnesses. There recently were cases of "suicide" incidents in Silivri No. 5 and Iğdır type S prisons. Against these practices, which caused great reactions, the relatives of the prisoners in Diyarbakir, Van, Istanbul and Izmir started a Justice Watch  for ill prisoners.

 

Abdurrahman Yıldırım, who was arrested in 1996 with injuries and given a life sentence in Dersim, has been trying to survive in prison with pieces of shrapnel in his head since then. Yıldırım, who was exiled to 6 different prisons in 26 years, was in a constant struggle against torture and ill-treatment in prisons.

 

TORTURE FOR 2 MONTHS

 

After Yıldırım was arrested in Dersim in 1996, he was taken to Elbistan Prison and held in a solitary cell for 2 months. As a result of the applications of his family, Yıldırım was taken to a ward. Yıldırım, who had 4 pieces of shrapnel in his head when he was arrested, later underwent surgery and 2 pieces of shrapnel were removed from his head. However, doctors who could not remove the other two pieces of shrapnel said that the pieces were close to the cerebral cortex and the removing them would be dangerous.

 

EXILED FROM PRISON TO PRISON IN 26 YEARS

 

Yıldırım was exiled to different prisons for various reasons during the 26 years. Yıldırım, who was exiled to Konya Prison after 4 years in Elbistan Prison, was sent to Sincan Prison after a while. Yıldırım, who was then exiled to Buca Kırıklar Prison, was transferred to Bolu Type F Prison. Yıldırım was brought to Sincan Prison to be treated due to the pieces of shrapnel in his head. Yıldırım was treated at the hospital for a while after the ring vehicle had an accident on the road while he was being taken to Sincan. Yıldırım is being held in Şakran Type T Prison, where he was recently exiled.

 

'CANNOT STAY IN PRISON'

 

In his phonecall with his family, Yıldırım stated that he was denied from treatment and that he was not given the medicines that he needs. Yıldırım, who was not released despite the Ankara State Hospital's report that he cannot stay in prison, is forced to continue his life in a solitary cell.

 

MOTHER OF YILDIRIM AT THE JUSTICE WATCH

 

Abdürrahim Yıldırım's mother, Vesile Yıldırım, has been continuing the sit-in, which has been initiated for the release of ill prisoners that continues for the last 53 days in front of the İzmir Bar Association. Giving information about her son's situation, the mother said, "My son still has two pieces of shrapnel in his head, and especially the medicines my son has been using lately are not given. My son needs to be released in order to be treated under qualified conditions. Stating that there are thousands of ill prisoners, mother Yıldırım called for peace and solution."

 

MA / Delal Akyüz