Turkey: Ünal Ysiğit has Tuberculosis, Statement by the PŞTA
We hereby share an unofficial translation of a statement by the Families of Partizan Martyrs and Prisoners (PŞTA), shared by Yeni Demokrasi.
Investigate Tuberculosis Cases in Adana F-Type Prison, Remove Obstacles to Prisoners’ Treatment!
Information has been received that Ünal Yiğit, a prisoner held in Adana F Type High Security Closed Prison, has been found to have lesions, indicating the onset of tuberculosis. In a letter we received from Ünal, he recounts that the prison infirmary doctor told him, “You have lesions; you probably know what that means. It’s a deadly disease; you must go to the hospital for further tests and treatment.” Ünal also stated that three other prisoners have contracted the disease, and that two of them are either undergoing treatment or nearing completion. Yiğit’s treatment could not begin due to the forced oral examination during his initial hospital transfer. Although he was finally transferred to the hospital on March 11th, the oral examination was not stopped. He stated that the necessary initial tests were carried out at the hospital, but a CT scan appointment was scheduled for after the holiday.
The administration of Adana F Type Prison, which has turned the treatment processes of sick prisoners into torture, must abandon this attitude. It should not pass the problem of the “oral searches” practice, which hinders treatment, to the Ministry of Interior. It must take responsibility and ensure that this obstacle is overcome.
It is unknown how many prisoners, like Ünal, who was luckily discovered to have lesions in his lungs, have contracted this disease. It must be acknowledged that prison conditions are the cause of the outbreak and spread of tuberculosis. It is vitally important that the treatment of Ünal and other sick prisoners continues and is completed in a manner befitting human dignity.
According to Ünal, food supplies to prisoners in this prison have been cut off under the pretext that prisoners are fasting during Ramadan. The diets of sick prisoners should be adjusted to suit their illnesses as part of their treatment.
Furthermore, the fact that Ünal is being held in solitary confinement on the grounds that he is “dangerous,” his weekly sports allowance being reduced to once a month, and his friends being prevented from visiting him all point to strict isolation. The connection between these conditions and many illnesses is undeniable.
DEM Party Urfa MP Ömer Öcalan has submitted a petition to the Turkish Grand National Assembly Human Rights Review Committee requesting an on-site investigation into tuberculosis cases and prison conditions at Adana F Type Prison. This request must be fulfilled immediately, and a delegation should be sent to Adana F Type Prison, which is constantly in the news due to human rights violations.
All obstacles to treatment, such as oral searches and poor nutrition, must be removed.
The health status of prisoners in Adana F Type Prison should be regularly monitored, and the number of prisoners who are ill should be determined.
The policy of solitary confinement against prisoners must end immediately.
Families of Partizan Martyrs and Prisoners
We have reported on the case of the Partizan prisoner Ünal Yiğit on several occasions, as he faces a long-term sentence, and several restrictions, isolation and torture have been carried out against him:
