Hope dies in Turkish prison hunger strike
============================
45 lives lost as both sides spurn compromise

Owen Bowcott in Istanbul
Saturday January 19, 2002
The Guardian

Lale Colak was released from her prison sentence on her 27th birthday, but never returned home to the family's cosy basement flat. When she died, emaciated but smiling, she weighed less than six stone. Her hair had turned white.
Earlier this month, after 222 days without solid food, she became the 45th self-inflicted fatality in what may already be the longest-running hunger strike, or "death fast", in history.
Despite pressure from the Council of Europe this week for a compromise in Turkey's prison regime, to prevent further deaths, neither the country's justice ministry nor the Marxist revolutionary groups which orchestrate the hunger strikes appear prepared to back down.
At least 140 inmates and a handful of sympathisers outside the jails are slowly starving themselves in a protest against what they claim are "isolation cells" in Turkey's new F-type prisons. One prisoner survived for more than a year on water, sugar, salt and vitamin B1, but is said to have been left with the mind of a child.

As prisoners slip into comas, state doctors are called in to assess whether they should be freed temporarily on grounds of ill health. But seven teams of hunger strikers have successively taken up the campaign, preferring ideological martyrdom to political surrender
Colak's last days raised her family's hopes that she could be persuaded to abandon her protest. Her mother, Gulsum, 53, had visited her in an F-type prison in Kartal and pleaded with her. "She loved chocolate and I tried to smuggle it in," Mrs Colak said, sitting cross-legged on her living room floor and blinking back tears. "But the guards always found it and confiscated it.

"We talked about her coming home so we could have breakfast together. She didn't want to die; she was very brave. She said: 'You don't know the terrible situation in prisons, mother. We do this to make life better for all humanity'."

Mrs Colak believes that the state delayed the release of her daughter on purpose. "Eventually Lale was transferred to Bayrampasa prison hospital in Istanbul. We thought she would be freed soon and stop the hunger strike. She told me: 'Mum, if I'm released by December I should live. After that, I won't.'
"They didn't release her in time. When they said she could go on December 20 - her birthday - she was virtually in a coma. The injections they gave failed to save her. Even the doctors in jail were sad. Her body had shrunk so small and she had been so beautiful."
Lale's 28-year-old sister, Dilek, was with her at the end: "She never
thought she would die," she said. "We'd talk about going to Rumeli castle, her favourite place in Istanbul. In the last days she couldn't speak, her mouth was ulcerated. Her mind was going and her last movement was a slow smile."
The revolutionary groups organising the death fasts claim a political
precedent in the IRA's 1981 hunger strike. The immediate cause of the
confrontation was the Turkish government's determination to reassert its authority. The justice minister, Hikmet Sami Turk, alleged that the old dormitory-style institutions - with up to 60 people in overcrowded, communal quarters - were controlled by "terrorist" groups who enforced their own discipline. Members of the far-left organisations, which intermittently carry out gun and bomb attacks, refused to be transferred to the new jails, claiming that the one or three-person cells amounted to penal "isolation".
The first death fasts in protest at the move began on October 20 2000. A month later, soldiers and police stormed 20 jails. By the end of the operation, 30 prisoners and two prison gendarmes had been killed. Inmates alleged that prisoners had been beaten, raped or tortured.
Forcibly removed to the F-type jails, the various revolutionary groups coordinated teams of volunteers. Turkish political activists make a distinction between hunger strikes, which may last only a week, and death fasts, where the intention is to continue to the bitter end. After a similar protest in 1996 they refined their tactics.
The 10 republicans who died in Northern Ireland's Maze prison in 1981 lasted for up to 70 days without food. Turkey's revolutionaries have devised a more protracted decline: tea, water, vitamin B1 plus a little sugar and salt are now permitted.
Lale Colak's political involvement stretched back into her teenage years. She was arrested at 15 for taking part in a protest about the education system and, despite being shot in the arm by police, was sentenced to three months' detention. Jail sentences followed, culminating in six-and-a-half years for alleged membership of a Maoist group. "But she wasn't a member of any party," her mother insisted.
Some of those released from prison continue their fasts to the grave. Sevgi Erdogan, of the Revolutionary People's Independence party, died last July after 264 days without food.
In Gazimah, near Istanbul, another young activist this month restarted his death fast at home. Deniz Bakir, 23, was jailed when he was 16 for membership of a Marxist party. After 174 days without food, he was released last July after he had lost nearly half his body weight."If they don't find a solution", he said, "I will fast until my death."
Hopes of a compromise have stalled. The Turkish Bar Association suggested allowing the inmates to share a common area. The hunger strikers accepted the proposal, but the government said no. This month, the justice minister offered to allow "prisoners to associate in groups of no more than 10 for five hours a week in areas determined by the prison administration". The prisoners rejected it. No further talks are planned.

Cell-block martyrs

· Turkish government designs "F-Type" prisons with small cells to replace old jails with dormitories which it says are run by terrorist groups

· First death fasts begin on November 20 2000. More than 40 inmates start refusing food as a protest

· Police and soldiers raid jails on December 19 killing 30 prisoners

· Transferred leftwing groups order new teams to join hunger strike every few months

· In April 2001, first hunger strike deaths

· Lawyers suggest allowing prisoners in each block of three three-man cells to be unlocked together, allowing better association rights. Prisoners accept idea

· Justice minister rejects compromise and makes alternative offer which prisoners turn down

· Lale Colak dies in Bayrampasa prison hospital this month

· Council of Europe calls on Turkish government to allow prisoners more time together outside cells


Some articles from Turkish press;



Cumhuriyet (daily newspaper in Turkey) January 10, 2002
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The Justice Minister Turk suggested that 10 convicts at a time could be allowed five hours a week to talk to each other

Rejection of "Three doors, three locks"
The Justice Minister Turk has brought about and publicised a circular, containing the conditional offer, in connection with death fasts that have gone on for a year and a half, that as many as 10 people at a time can meet for five hours a week, conditional upon the death fasts coming to an end. The circular also gives convicts conditions for engaging in social
activities.

ANKARA (Cumhuriyet office) - The Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk, rejected the Ankara, Antalya, Istanbul and Izmir bars proposal for ending the "Three door, three locks" proposal for ending the death fasts in the F-Type prisons, citing legal obstacles. Turk came up with a "pre-conditional" offer for ending the actions which have gone on for a year and a half. According to this, it would be determined that conditions were to be created for a maximum of 10 people to come to the areas for five hours a week "to convalesce, for education, sport, occupational training and building work" activities. However, a "selection commission" would decide who would go to such an area, and there was no clarity about what criteria it would follow.

At a press conference yesterday, Justice Minister Turk evaluated the ongoing hunger strikes and death fasts in the F-Type prisons. Turk said that in the F-Type prisons eight persons were on hunger strike and 142 were on death fasts. Turk stated that the "Three Doors, Three Locks" suggestion by the Ankara, Antalya, Izmir and Istanbul bar chairmen, which would give a total of nine convicts and prisoners the ability to come together in an area, should be criticised because it was sent to the media but not sent in as an official application. Re the proposal, Turk noted from the point of view of the law and practicability that the corridor was not seen as an area for
communal living. Turk said that Paragraph 16 of Turkey's Basic Law created legal obstacles to the proposal, adding "The way things are set up rather goes against such a proposal. Even if we said there were no legal obstacles, it is not convenient from the point of view of the physical construction and security considerations of F-Type prisons." The Justice Minister noted that if the terror organisations had the courage to take the first step of ending the action, "We are thinking of giving groups of 10 prisoners and convicts at a time the possibility of coming together for five hours a week to chat," he said. Turk announced that "if the actions come to an end," a circular can be immediately prepared to put this into practice. Justice Minister Turk announced that all prison administrations had been told not to hinder physical possibilities for people to meet for five hours and see each other
openly.

Turk said the F-Type prisons met international standards and it was
necessary to end the actions, adding that "Everyone who wanted to resolve the situation should be helpful to the Justice Ministry."





Cumhuriyet January 11, 2002

"F-TYPE" CIRCULAR READY
Good conditions for having conversations
**According to a circular from the Justice Ministry to be distributed
conditional upon an end to the death fasts, at least one area must be added on for convicts and prisoners who want to meet for a chat, to convalesce, for educational, sporting, occupational training or building work purposes. But a selection commission will determine who will come to an area to meet for a conversation. For this reason not everyone will be able to come to such an area who wants to.
ILHAN TASCI
ANKARA - The Justice Ministry has prepared a circular to be issued
conditional upon the hunger strikes and death fasts ending in the F-Type prisons. The Justice Minister said that he would sign such a circular on condition of the actions ending, providing for a maximum of 10 persons who are to be determined by a "selection commission" to be able to come together to converse for five hours a week. Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said the circular was prepared in connection with a proposal to bring an end to the hunger strikes and death fasts. He noted that the text of the circular would be settled and it would be issued when the condition of the death fasts ending was met. The circular would be put into effect and sent to all administration offices and chief prosecutors' offices with the signature of Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk if the condition of the actions ending was met. In the circular
prepared by the Justice Ministry, preconditions were to be met for prisoners and convicts to meet to converse or engage in education, sports, occupational training, building work or other social and cultural activities. This is what is said in the circular, to be issued conditional upon the actions ending:

At the back of page 17 Good conditions for holding a conversation
Heading on page 1 "An area or other common space seen as convenient for a group not exceeding 10 convicts and prisoners who wish to do so, to be chosen by a selection commission, is to be set up in conformity with the known conditions so they can meet for a conversation or other activities in the space of a week for a
period of time not exceeding five hours, under supervision of the
administration who will be officially informed. The administration will ensure that there is no interference with face to face meetings, lawyers and visitors during the total of five hours organised in the course of the week." The chair of the Ankara Bar Sadik Erdogan said that the Ministry's proposal had taken the first step by abandoning the idea of "Definitely not." The new suggestion had created growing hope for a solution. "The Minister's proposal has opened a new horizon," he said. Erdogan said, "The Ministry and Minister who said under no conditions would they take a step back, have taken a step forward with this proposal. Everyone is waiting for the death fasts to come to an end as soon as possible." Istanbul Bar chairman Yucel Sayman, who did not join in the criticism of his bar's "Three
Doors Three Locks" proposal which he had learned about from the media, noted that a visit was made to the Ministry, "hoping for a solution". Sayman stressed that he did not act as a mediator or for the Justice Ministry when he put the proposal forward, but indicated that he had shared the proposal with public opinion while acting in an independent capacity.
---

Support for "Three Doors Three Locks"
**Cultural Service - The chairman of Turkey's branch of The International Writers' Association (PEN) Ustun Akmen assessed that the joint proposal by the bars for "three doors three locks" was perhaps the last chance for a solution of this issue. Akmen said that "If the Justice Ministry were to show common sense, the death fasts which have gone on for nearly a year and a half could end." International Law Association



January 9, 2002 / Milliyet

Is the comment by the Minister more important than human life?
The chairman of the Bar Association Yucel Sayman warned Minister Turk, who had commented on the proposal "open three doors and three locks, the deaths must end" with "there's a legal obstacle". Sayman stated: "People are dying, following this interpretation ".

BELMA AKCURA Istanbul
The fact that Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk sees Article 16 of the Anti-Terrorism Law as an obstacle to the proposal of the four Bar
Associations' chairmen in order to end the death fasts in the F-type
prisons, was seen by the jurists as "a false interpretation of the law". Turk, who doesn't welcome the proposal of the chairmen of the Bar Associations of Ankara, Izmir, Istanbul and Antalya which would put an end to the death fasts, declared "Article 16 of the Anti-Terrorism Law just permits those in the F-type prisons to come together at the social areas" . The jurists recalled that Article 16 has been changed in order to guarantee humane living conditions in the prisons and to put an end to the death fasts and expressed the view: "Now, after removing a legal barrier, you cannot defend the prisons that were established by you according to Article 16 of the law." The chairman of the Istanbul Bar Association, Yucel Sayman, said that a legal commentary which leads to the death of people cannot be made, and stated: "As a government they are obliged to ensure that the death of people is prevented. Even if the Minister were right in his commentary, even if he were the best jurist ever, people are dying as a result of such a commentary. And in our opinion the minister is making a false interpretation of the law." Sayman further stated that Article 16, which has been given as a reason by the minister in its previous form didn't permit people to come together, but that this would be possible with the amendment made to it. Also, the lawyer Fikret Ilkiz made the following comment: "The minister says 'the proposal does not conform to Article 16'. But the basic aim of the amendment to Article 16 was to put an end to the hunger strikes, to create an atmosphere that guarantees life in humane conditions and to create prison conditions which are in accordance with human rights and freedoms. Now is it possible to see a law which was made for this purpose as an obstacle to continuing life in the prisons in thebest possible way and to end the death fasts?"

Support for 'Three Doors Three Locks'
January 8, 2002 / Yedinci Gündem

ADANA - Chairman of the Adana Branch of the Association of Contemporary Jurists (CHD), Lawyer Siar Risvanoglu, declared that the state remains indifferent to the proposal of "Three Doors, Three Locks", and said that the Minister of Justice is not concerned about finding a solution. Lawyer Siar Risvanoglu, who gave a press statement before the Adana Branch of the CHD yesterday said that prison problems are increasing day by day, and that the institutions concerned still haven't found a solution to the question despite a long time elapsing. Risvanoglu expressed the view that the proposal "Three Doors Three Locks" which has been developed by thechairmen of four Bar Associations to solve the problems of the death fasts and the F-type prisons, were wrongly interpreted by the Minister of Justice, and said that this proposal for a solution has to be receive a response.
_____________________________________________________________________Cumhuriyet(daily newspaper in Turkey)
January 10, 2002

The Justice Minister Turk suggested that 10 convicts at a time could be allowed five hours a week to talk to each other Rejection of "Three doors, three locks" The Justice Minister Turk has brought about and publicised a circular, containing the conditional offer, in connection with death fasts that have gone on for a year and a half, that as many as 10 people at a time can meet for five hours a week, conditional upon the death fasts coming to an end. The circular also gives convicts conditions for engaging in social
activities.
ANKARA (Cumhuriyet office) - The Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk,
rejected the Ankara, Antalya, Istanbul and Izmir bars proposal for ending the "Three door, three locks" proposal for ending the death fasts in the F-Type prisons, citing legal obstacles. Turk came up with a "pre-conditional" offer for ending the actions which have gone on for a year and a half. According to this, it would be determined that conditions were to be created for a maximum of 10 people to come to the areas for five hours a week "to convalesce, for education, sport, occupational training and building work" activities. However, a "selection commission" would decide who would go to such an area, and there was no clarity about what criteria it would follow. At a press conference yesterday, Justice Minister Turk evaluated the ongoing hunger strikes and death fasts in the F-Type prisons. Turk said that in the F-Type prisons eight persons were on hunger strike and 142 were on death fasts. Turk stated that the "Three Doors, Three Locks" suggestion by the Ankara, Antalya, Izmir and Istanbul bar chairmen, which would give a total of nine convicts and prisoners the
ability to come together in an area, should be criticised because it was sent to the media but not sent in as an official application. Re the proposal, Turk noted from the point of view of the law and practicability that the corridor was not seen as an area for communal living. Turk said that Paragraph 16 of Turkey's Basic Law created legal obstacles to the proposal, adding "The way things are set up rather goes against such a proposal. Even if we said there were no legal obstacles, it is not convenient from the point of view of the physical construction and security considerations of F-Type prisons." The Justice Minister noted that if the terror organisations had the courage to take the first step of ending the action, "We are thinking of giving groups of 10 prisoners and convicts at a time the possibility of coming together for five hours a week to chat," he said. Turk announced that "if the actions come to an end," a circular can be immediately prepared to put this into practice. Justice Minister Turk announced that all prison administrations had been told not to hinder physical possibilities for people to meet for five hours and see each other openly.
Turk said the F-Type prisons met international standards and it was
necessary to end the actions, adding that "Everyone who wanted to resolve the situation should be helpful to the Justice Ministry."
_____________________________________________________________________

Cumhuriyet January 11, 2002

"F-TYPE" CIRCULAR READY

Good conditions for having conversations **According to a circular from the Justice Ministry to be distributed conditional upon an end to the death fasts, at least one area must be added on for convicts and prisoners who want to meet for a chat, to convalesce,for educational, sporting, occupational training or building work purposes. But a selection commission will determine who will come to an area to meet for a conversation. For this reason not everyone will be able to come to such an area who wants to.

ILHAN TASCI
ANKARA - The Justice Ministry has prepared a circular to be issued
conditional upon the hunger strikes and death fasts ending in the F-Type prisons. The Justice Minister said that he would sign such a circular on condition of the actions ending, providing for a maximum of 10 persons who are to be determined by a "selection commission" to be able to come together to converse for five hours a week. Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said the circular was prepared in connection witha proposal to bring an end to the hunger strikes and death fasts. He noted that the text of the circular would be settled and it would be issued when the condition of the death fasts ending was met.The circular would be put into effect and sent to all administration offices and chief prosecutors' offices with the signature of Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk if the condition of the actions ending was met. In the circular prepared by the Justice Ministry, preconditions were to be met for prisoners and convicts to meet to converse or engage in education, sports, occupational training, building work or other social and cultural activities. This is what is said in the circular, to be issued conditional upon the actions ending:At the back of page 17 Good conditions for holding a conversation
Heading on page 1
"An area or other common space seen as convenient for a group not exceeding 10 convicts and prisoners who wish to do so, to be chosen by a selection commission, is to be set up in conformity with the known conditions so they can meet for a conversation or other activities in the space of a week for a period of time not exceeding five hours, under supervision of the administration who will be officially informed. The administration will ensure that there is no interference with face to face meetings, lawyers and visitors during the total of five hours organised in the course of the week." The chair of the Ankara Bar Sadik Erdogan said that the Ministry's proposal had taken the first step by abandoning the idea of "Definitely not." The new suggestion had created growing hope for a solution. "The Minister's proposal has opened a new horizon," he said. Erdogan said, "The Ministry and Minister who said under no conditions would they take a step back, have taken a step forward with this proposal. Everyone is waiting for the death fasts to come to an end as soon as possible." Istanbul Bar chairman Yucel Sayman, who did not join in the criticism of his bar's "Three Doors Three Locks" proposal which he had learned about from the media, noted that a visit was made to the Ministry, "hoping for a solution". Sayman stressed that he did not act as a mediator or for the Justice Ministry when he put the proposal forward, but indicated that he had shared the proposal with public opinion while acting in an independentcapacity.
_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________Ozgur Politika January 11, 2002

Insistance in the 'Three Doors, Three Locks'
MHA / ÝSTANBUL

Civil society organisations, trade unions and political parties have
started campaigning for signatures, which should be presented to the
Minister of Justice, in order to get implemented the 'Three Doors, Three Locks' proposal which aims at the ending of the death fasts. Also the Istanbul Bar Association and the Artists Initiative called the Ministry to accept the proposal.
In the anouncement of the camaign it was said "We, as defenders of Human Rights, are hopeful that the deaths fasts which have continued for seasons will end, because of the fact that the 'Three Doors, Three Locks' proposal initiated by the Bar Associations of Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya and Izmir was also accepted by the prisoners".
Regarding Minister of Justice Hikmet Sami Turk's refusal of the proposal towards the unification of three rooms for each three persons in the F-type prisons, the chairman of the Istanbul Bar Association, Yucel Sayman said "The decision of Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk is not juridicial but political."
A group called the 'Artists Initiative', amongst them Edip Akbayram, Suavi, Ataol Behramoðlu, Orhan Alkaya and Rutkay Aziz visited the Chairman of the Bar Association Yucel Sayman.
During the visit Sayman said, "The Minister said that the proposal was contrary to article 16 of the Anti-Terror-Law. We think that this is notthe case. The decision of the Minister is not juridically but political. Even if it seems to be juridically it is political. Our aim is to produce a solution", noting that the Justice Minister doesn't look sympathetically upon the 'Three Doors, Three Locks" proposal. The artist Suavi said that it was possible to create again new solutions to end the death fasts, but that there was not enough time for this.
_____________________________________________________________________
Yedinci Gundem
January 10, 2002

'Not political, political'.
ÝSTANBUL - After the form 'Three Doors, Three Locks' proposed by four Bar Associations was met with a negative response by the Minster of Justice, artists visited the Istanbul Bar association and stated that they were supporting the proposal.
Today at 12:30 p.m Edip Akbayram, Rutkay Aziz, Ateol Bahremoðlu, Bilgesu Erenus, Dilek Gökçin, Erdal Öz, Vecdi Sayar, Zeynep Tonbay, Orhan Alkaya, Üstün Arman and Suavi visited Yucel Sayman, the chairman of the Bar Association in the name of the Artist Initiative.
The artists said that they did not understand the reasons of the Justice Minister, for not accepting the form 'Three Doors, Three Locks'. Suavi made it clear that after this moment no technical solution will be possible to stop the deaths and said "We haven't got time for a new project, it is much too late actually. People are dying. We have to insist in the 'Three Doors, Three Locks' proposal.
Sayman said also "our proposal is not contrary to article 16. The first draft of article 16 forbid our proposal. But the article was changed. That means article 16 suggests at least to end the isolation".
_____________________________________________________________________


Yedinci Gundem
January 11, 2002

ANKARA - .To make the Minister of Justice accept the statement which is seen as a beacon of hope for a solution of the F-type prison question, an open press meeting will be held tomorrow. The institutions participating in the meeting are the Ankara Branche of the IHD, the Ankara Branche of the Association of Progressive Jurists, TAYAD (Solidarity Association of the Prisoners' Families), Ankara Branche of the Cultural Association Pir Sultan Abdal, the Initiative of Intellectuals and Artists, the platform of the Ankara Branches of the People's Houses, platform of the Ankara Branches of
KESK, Executive Committee for the region Ankara of the Genel-Ýþ Trade
Union, Ankara Branche of the Tüm-Tis Trade Union and provincial Executive Committee of the Peace Party in Ankara, HADEP, EMEP, ÖDP and Provincial Executive Committee of the TKP in Ankara.
_____________________________________________________________________
Radikal
January 12, 2002
AHMET ÞIK/,
ISTANBUL - The complaint of the prisoners who claimed that they were
subjected to torture during the transfers following the operations for the 'Return to Life' ended with the decision of no prosecution. The file of 65 people, of which some claimed to having being raped with a truncheon at the Kandira F type prison, was closed even before examining the medical reports, with the reason of "lack of evidence". 65 of those prisoners who were transferred to the F type prison of Kandira after the operations for the 'Return to Life' on the 19th of December 2000, were going before court with the allegation that they were subjected to torture while being separated into two groups. Eight of the prisoners who claimed that they were beaten up by the soldiers and guardians at the prison to which they have been transferred during and after the operation, also affirmed that they were raped with truncheons. At the end of the investigation the Public Prosecution Office of Kandira decided not to prosecute with the reason that there was no other evidence than the allegations of the suitors. The attorney of the victims, Gulizar Tuncer, protested that the testimony of most of the complainants wasn't even taken. Tuncer said : "It's incoherent with the law that only the testimony of guardians and soldiers are taken. Except of one, the testimony of my clients wasn't taken, the witnesses weren't listened to... But the prosecutors gave such a decision without even finding it necessary to examine those reports."... Gulizar Tuncer, who stated that she wasn't even informed about the decision of no prosecution although her address is known, went before a higher court and appealed against the decision. "There exists torture reports" Tuncer, who claims that the prosecutors were not fulfilling their duty of collecting evidence, said: "It is contrary to the law to decide not to prosecute with the reason of a lack of evidence. Although the medical reports of my client regarding being tortured were inside the files, the prosecutors ignored this evidence".