Thirty-one inmates in a prison in Turkey’s western İzmir province have been stripped of telephone and visitation privileges, the Artı Gerçek news website reported on Wednesday.
The inmates were subjected to an investigation for commemorating the so-called Kobani resistance on July 19, where they allegedly sang Kurdish songs and chanted slogans. The investigation was concluded on August 12 and resulted in the decision to take disciplinary action against the inmates.
Kobani, a town in northern Syria, became a focal point in 2014-2015 during conflict between Kurdish forces, primarily the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants. The Kurdish forces’ defense of the town received widespread attention and led to demonstrations of solidarity among Kurds in various regions, including Turkey, where expressions of solidarity with Kobani have often been met with scrutiny, particularly in a political climate where Kurdish political movements are closely monitored by the state.
The prison administration imposed a one-month telephone ban on 26 prisoners, while five others were given one-month visitation bans. The prisoners have appealed the decisions, with hearings scheduled for September 18 in İzmir.
Among those affected are Lemiya Asu, Aynur Epli, Rozerin Kalkan, Nuran Durak and Güler Bilen, who were expected to be released on parole this month. Their families expect that these disciplinary measures will also mean their release will be postponed.
Bilen was sentenced to life at 17 on terrorism charges and has now been imprisoned for 32 years. She suffers from a heart valve condition and her family fears the disciplinary measures will prolong her release further.
According to the Turkish Penal Code, people convicted of membership in a terrorist organization are eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of their sentence.
The family’s fears are not baseless as prison authorities in the past have made it increasingly difficult for political prisoners to benefit from parole. Lawyers say that many political prisoners who have been incarcerated for a long period of time are deliberately prevented from being released.
