She wants freedom for her mentally disabled son

  • actual
  • 08:39 24 January 2025
  • |
img

ŞIRNEX - Hacı Elçi was arrested 8 years ago and sentenced to life imprisonment despite his mental disability report. "He cannot meet his needs. Is this a right?" reacts mother Belkıs Elçi.

Hacı Elçi, who was shot in the head during the curfews in Cizre district of Şırnak in 2015-2016, was arrested after months of treatment. At the final trial held at Şırnak Heavy Penal Court No 2 on 17 January 2020, Elçi was sentenced to life imprisonment on the charge of "disrupt the unity and territorial integrity of the state". The court did not take into consideration the 52% mental disability report of Cizre State Hospital.
 
In 2018, Elçi's lawyer requested a report from the Forensic Medicine Institution (ATK) on his client's mental disability. In its report dated 11 May 2018, the ATK reported that "(...) no mental illness or mental retardation was detected, and the examination of the forensic file did not reveal any medical findings and documents (...) that would indicate that the defendant was in a state of mental disorder at the time he committed the aforementioned crime, which would eliminate his ability to comprehend the legal meaning and consequences of the act and to direct his behaviour in relation to this act (...)". The court took the ATK report into consideration and sentenced Elçi to life imprisonment.
 
Elçi has been in Şırnak Type T Closed Prison since the day he was arrested. Elçi's needs are met by the other prisoners with whom he is held. His family draws attention to the fact that their child is mentally disabled and demands his release.
 
'MENTALLY DISABLED FROM BIRTH'
 
His mother Belkıs Elçi said that her son was mentally disabled from birth and was sentenced to life imprisonment despite his disability report. Belkıs Elçi said, "He was constantly under the supervision of doctors here. Then a curfew was declared in Cizre and he was shot in the head while sitting in front of our house. My son was seriously wounded and was treated for months in Mardin Hospital. Then he was hospitalised in Istanbul. Then they arrested him. Is it right to arrest a mentally disabled person with epilepsy? We were receiving my son's disability pension. He has a disability report. He also has a rotten report. My son is paralysed in prison, his needs are met by his friends. Is this a right? Is there such a law? This is cruelty and nothing else."
 
Belkıs Elçi emphasised that her son was not in a condition to live in prison conditions and demanded that the verdict be overturned and her son be released. Belkıs Elçi added: "Everyone in Cizîr knows my son and knows that he is mentally disabled. He cannot meet his own needs now. He lives with the help of his friends. He feels nauseous and dizzy every day. What kind of justice is this? When I visit him in prison, I ask him, 'How are you?' He just says, 'I'm fine'. He doesn't know how to speak. He has a lot of difficulty because he was wounded in the head during the bans. How can you put a person in prison in this condition and give him a life sentence? My only demand is that this decision must be cancelled and my son must be released as soon as possible."
 
MA / Zeynep Durgut
 

View More Articles

17:01 Zenubiya Women's Community: Perpatrators of Alevi massacre must be prosecuted
15:46 Demand at Xelfetî Newroz: Freedom for Öcalan
15:45 Bakırhan: When will you create conditions for Mr. Öcalan to work freely?
14:58 Spent 3 months in Rome with Öcalan: Language of democratic society and peace must be developed
14:03 Afrin citizens prepare to return to Kurdish Mountains
13:03 Lawyers applies to meet with Abdullah Öcalan
13:02 Historical call must be responded with a radical democracy package says IHD Co-chair
12:17 Meetings in Botan: People welcomed call with enthusiasm
11:45 'We want a demoractic Syria ruled by all colors together'
10:44 Lost his two daughters in clashes: We trust Öcalan's call, state must take steps
09:44 Dr Gössner: This call must prompt Turkish government solve the problem
09:29 'The process must be carried out in harmony with lawyers'
11/03/2025
15:09 Aim of agreement to stop attacks in coastal region says Ilham Ehmed
14:55 Everyone wins with agreement in Syria
14:07 SDF: Unprecedented escalations of Turkish occupation
13:43 Lawyers applies to meet with Abdullah Öcalan
13:42 With agreement, committees will formed and items will discussed says PYD Co-chair
12:03 Agreement will strengthen coexistence and solidarity in Syria says Bafel Talabani
11:59 Explaining details of agreement Salih Muslim says they will govern together
11:00 Mothers whose children murdered: Now it's the state's turn
10:26 Kurdish language associations support the call of Abdullah Öcalan
09:20 'Right to hope' is a cornerstone of process says Lawyer Demirel
09:19 After 31 years neither Nazım's fate asked, nor perpetrators tried
09:17 Öcalan must be free say Peace Mothers
08:49 SDF reaches agreement with Damascus interim administration
10/03/2025
16:27 Reaction to massacres of Alawites in Syria: This is genocide
15:01 'Peace and Democratic Society' meetings in many cities
12:50 He described attacks in Syria: Arms were distributed to Sunnis
12:02 2025 Newroz slogan announced
11:54 Women in 8 March rally: It's the state's turn to step in
11:18 Relatives of prisoners: Let's join hands and remove obstacles to peace
10:35 According to human rights defenders first step: ill prisoners
10:03 ALIM-DER members: Attacks must stop, state must step in
09:26 Baloch activist: Many of us dream of free Balochistan
09/03/2025
17:11 Prisoners in Antalya Type S Prison support Abdullah Öcalan's call
16:30 'People's Meetings for Peace and Democratic Society' starts
16:01 Alevi organizations react to massacres in Syria
15:44 Call for halt to death sentences to 3 Kurdish women
15:07 Message of Öcalan to Wan: I respect the will that made 14 in 14
14:20 Abdullah Öcalan poster at March rally in Wan
12:41 Philosopher Edgar Morin supports Öcalan's call
11:32 Jin magazine: We revolt and march to freedom
10:30 Abdullah Öcalan must be free as soon as possible say women
09:27 Abdullah Öcalan and prisoners must be release for peace says Peace Mothers
09:26 We trust Öcalan, there will be freedom says PKK member Gulan's brother
08/03/2025
15:41 March 8 message from Öcalan: My basic principle is a full life with you!
12:46 March 8 messages from 8 countries: Jin, jiyan, azadi
11:52 'Rosa Luxemburg's principles of equality and freedom shine in the Rojava revolution'
07/03/2025
15:37 March 8 events continue with strikes and demonstrations
14:55 EFFP: The Call is a historic opportunity