Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a prominent human rights defender and a deputy from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), has called on the justice ministry to release Emine Güçlüer, a mother jailed with her 13-month-old toddler over alleged links to the faith based Gülen movement, the TR724 news website reported.
On his YouTube broadcast, Gergerlioğlu interviewed İsmail Fuat Güçlüer, Emine Güçlüer’s husband, who voiced deep concern for their child’s wellbeing. According to İsmail, their child suffers from inadequate nutrition and has limited space to play, resulting in both physical and emotional stress.
“Our child’s needs are not met in prison,” İsmail Fuat said. “He deserves a proper environment to grow, play and eat well.”
Gergerlioğlu explained that according to Turkish law, mothers with children under 18 months of age should not be held in prison and urged immediate release for Güçlüer. Law No. 5275 says that pregnant women and mothers with children younger than 18 months should be released pending trial.
“It’s incomprehensible that individuals whose sentences have yet to be upheld face treatment worse than convicted prisoners,” Gergerlioğlu said. “This situation should be resolved immediately with her release.”
Güçlüer was sentenced to six years, three months in prison; however, her sentence has not yet been upheld by the Supreme Court of Appeals. She was accused on the basis of having an account at a now-closed Gülen-linked bank, participating in religious sermons organized by the Gülen movement and being a member of a Gülen-linked labor union.
The Gülen movement is accused by the Turkish government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of masterminding a failed coup on July 15, 2016 and is labelled a “terrorist organization,” although the movement denies involvement in the coup attempt or any terrorist activity.
Gergerlioğlu reiterated his call for leniency, suggesting house arrest as an alternative. He expressed alarm about the conditions, saying that prison was not suitable for a toddler.
“This tiny child is in a ward, falling and hurting his head, facing numerous issues. Prisons, with concrete walls and iron bars, are not suitable places for a toddler. This is creating immense hardship,” he said. “This cannot continue. We’re asking for justice — for the release of a mother and her child from conditions no child should endure,” he said.
Güçlüer and her children were on their way to Greece to seek asylum in Europe when they were arrested by Turkish police.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been targeting followers of the Gülen movement since corruption investigations revealed in 2013 implicated then-prime minister Erdoğan, his family members and his inner circle. Dismissing the allegations of the investigations as a Gülenist conspiracy against his government, Erdoğan designated the movement a terrorist organization and began targeting its members.
