ŞIRNAK - The release of Selim Ertene, who has been hold in Rize Kalkandere type L Closed Prisone for 30 years, was posponed for 6 months with Prison Observatory Board's decision that he is not in good behavior.

 

Selim Ertene(50), who is being held in Rize Kalkandere type L Closed Prison, was arrested in Adana in July 1992 after being detained on the grounds that he was "a member of a terrorist organisation". Ertene, who was sentenced to "life imprisonment" for "attempting to overthrow the constitutional order while being a member of a terrorist organisation" as a result of the trial held at the Adana State Security Court, was held in prisons in Adana, Malatya, Yozgat, Antep and Mardin Prisons. Ertene, who is hold in Rize Kalkandere type L closed Prison, completed the 30 years imprisonment. Although Ertene completed 30 years in prison on July 28, 2022, he was not released. The release of Ertene was postponed for 6 months by Prison Observatory Board on the grounds of not being in good behavior for allegedly "damaging the prison surveillence camera' in 2012.

 

IT IS UNLAWFULNESS

 

Stating that his brother has been held in Rize for 15 years but they couldn't visit him due to long distance, Selim Ertene's elder brother Recep Ertene(56) said: "His parents died before they could see him free. If Selim served his sentence, why don't they release him? Or if they extend his sentence, why don't they bring him closer? We spend a couple of days on the road just to visit him. It is so hard. It is unlawfulness that Selim is not released despite he served his time. In Turkey, all prisoners have the same unlawfulness situation, the Minister of Justice should focus on this issue. The prisoners are being victimised. The prisoners are not released despite they served their time due to disciplinary penalties. The state wants to make them confessors and say that they will release them if they confess. And they prevent their release if they don't. The Turkish state should apply the law and release the prisoners."