The health condition of 76 year old sick prisoner Ahmet Sıllık is getting worse everyday. Sıllık was taken into custody in the Bayraklı district of İzmir on November 4, 2011 on grounds that there was an anonymous tip about him and 4 days later, he was taken to court and was arrested with the accusation of 'being a member of a terrorist organization. He was released a year later. Two months later, at the hearing held at Dİyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court, he was sentenced to 6 years 22 days in prison with the accusation of 'aiding a terrorist organization'.

 

HE CAN'T MEET HIS BASIC NEEDS

 

Sılık, who previously had diseases such as prostate, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and had two separate surgeries due to clogged vessels leading to the brain, worsened after he was imprisoned. He had a stroke in prison and started suffering from dementia. With the dementia, he is now not able to meet his basic needs. The Forensic Medicine Institude prepared a report, saying that he can not stay in prison. 

 

HE FORGOT EVERYTHING

 

Binefş Sıllık drew attention to the fact that her husband is taking a turn for the worse with the passing time. Explaining that her husband no longer recognized her, or their children, Sıllık told that the prison administration doesn't allow her to speak with her husband on grounds that he is quarantined all the time because he is going back and forth between the prison and the hospital. Sıllık said: "I can't go visit him a lot because of my age but our children want to visit him but they always say he is quarantined. We can't speak to him on the phone as well. I don't know how he is doing. The last time I saw him he didn't know how to get himself dressed or how to drink water. He can't warn the guardians to give him his medicine because of the dementia. He doesn't know the date, or even the season."

 

'WHY ARE SICK PRISONERS IN PRISON?'

 

Asking why the government insists on holding the sick prisoners in prison, Sıllık said: "I asked the prison director why they keep holding my husband in prison. He said he can't do anything, he has to be given an order to let him out. He has a report saying that he can't stay in prison. The İzmir prosecutor says he can. He used to say 'I don't have any hope I can get out of here. I'll die here' back when he did not have advanced dementia."

 

'CAN'T THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE SEE THIS?'

 

Asking for the release of sick prisoners as soon as possible, Sılık mentioned the pandemic being a great risk for sick prisoners. Sıllık said: "They released all of the murderers and sex offenders. The sick prisoners are still in there. This is unacceptable. We don't want our loved ones to die in prison. I will not remain silence. Can't the Minister of Justice see the persecution?"

 

 

MA / Ruken Demir