Cemal Tanhan, a 68-year-old man incarcerated in Bolu province despite suffering from severe illness, has become paralyzed despite the fact that the Council of Forensic Medicine (ATK) found him fit to remain in prison last April, the Kronos news website reported on Thursday.
Tanhan reportedly suffered a stroke leading to his paralysis and was subsequently put in intensive care at a local hospital.
He suffers from high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure and hearing loss. Due to inflammation in his legs, he is wheelchair-bound, the report said.
Imprisoned for the last 29 years, he was allegedly subjected to mistreatment in the past which the reports say was connected to the health problems he later developed.
The government agency consulted for its medical expertise in the cases of sick prisoners, the ATK has in recent years drawn criticism for its questionable reports finding ailing inmates fit to remain in prison. Turkey’s prominent human rights advocates accuse the institution of having lost its independence from the government.
