İZMİR - Mehmet Sait Yıldırım, a prisoner in Kırıklar Type F Closed Prison No. 1, has been held in solitary confinement for 8 years despite his heart condition. Lawyer Fatma Demirer said that the pressure increased as his client's release approached. 

 

Mehmet Sait Yıldırım (73), an ill prisoner in Izmir Kırıklar Type F Closed Prison No 1, has been held in solitary confinement since 2018. Yıldırım was taken to Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital in 2015 due to health problems while being held in Diyarbakır Type D Closed Prison. The hospital reported that it was “not suitable” for Yıldırım, who has a heart condition, to be held in solitary confinement. In 2017, Izmir Ödemiş District State Hospital issued a report stating that “solitary confinement is unfavorable for his health”. Despite these reports, Yıldırım continues to be held in solitary confinement on the grounds that “the Ministry of Justice has so ordered”. 

 

PRESSURE INCREASES AS RELEASE NEARS

 

Lawyer Fatma Demirer, who met with her client Sait Yıldırım on July 16, said that Yıldırım was not allowed to meet other prisoners during ventilation and sports.  

 

Demirer noted that Yıldırım subjected to this kind of practice on the grounds that he was brought from Imrali Type F High Security Prison. Demirer said that “special isolation” was practiced and that the pressure increased as the date of his conditional release approached. 

 

Demirer stated that his client suffers from diseases such as heart, lung and high blood pressure. Demirer stated that the hot weather adversely affected his client's health and that his request for a fan was rejected by the Prison Administration and Observation Board on the grounds that “it may cause problems in terms of discipline, order, public order and security”.

 

Demirer stated that they filed an appeal against the rejection of the request and that they also applied to the Izmir Bar Association to meet with the prison prosecutor against the pressure exerted on his client. 

 

WHO IS MEHMET SAIT YILDIRIM?  

 

Yıldırım was arrested in 1993. He was among the 5 prisoners sent to Imrali High Security Closed Prison on March 15, 2015 upon Abdullah Öcalan's request. Yıldırım stayed with Öcalan in Imrali Prison for 9 days. He was then transferred to Bolu Type F Closed Prison due to a heart condition. From Bolu, Yıldırım was transferred to Diyarbakır Type D Closed Prison and then to Ödemiş Type T Closed Prison. On September 6, 2018, Yıldırım was transferred to Kırıklar Prison No 1. and he has been held in solitary confinement since the day he was transferred here. 

 

Yıldırım wrote about the 9 days he spent with Öcalan in his book “9 days in Imrali”.