The prisoners’ families made an application to the Ministry, the Parliament and CIMER demanding the release of prisoners as the coronavirus outbreak poses a great risk for those in prison.
The Federation of Solidarity Associations with Families of Prisoners (MED-TUHAD FED) launched a campaign to draw attention to the threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak to prisons.
The prisoners’ families sent the petitions prepared under the campaign to the Ministry of Justice and the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission. In the petition, which draws attention to the fact that any measure decided should cover all prisoners, they demand the release of prisoners.
In the application the prisoners’ families underlined that all prisoners are at risk and therefore the new measures discussed in parliament should not exclude any group of prisoners or accusation.
The families said: “Conditional release and probation periods should be granted equally to all crimes without exception; Prisoners over the age of 60, those with chronic illnesses, pregnant women and mothers with their children should be granted to serve their sentence at home; for prisoners who cannot benefit from any sentence reduction, discretion should be left to local courts for alternative measures to prevent casualties due to the epidemic, considering that arrest is a precautionary measure.”
Application to the President Relation Center (CIMER)
On the other hand, MED TUHAD-FED, acting for the families of prisoners in Diyarbakır D Type Closed Prison, also applied to the President Relation Center (CIMER).
The application said that cleaning products were not distributed free of charge in Diyarbakır D-Type Prison, disinfection is not carried out in the prison, the meals provided do not respect the hygienic conditions required, and their nutritional value is low, hot water is not provided and prisoners with chronic illness have no access to medical treatment.
“We demand that prisoners in Diyarbakır D Type Closed Prison be released until the coronavirus threat disappears,” the application said.