Rojda Aydin

 

WAN - Makbule Özer's daughter said that her mother, who was re-arrested after the ATK's "she can stay in prison" report, gave them the message "I will resist" on the phone.

 

Makbule Özer (82), who was on trial for "aiding an illegal organization" in Artemêt (Edremit) district of Wan (Van), was arrested on May 9, 2022. On September 7, 2022, her sentence was postponed for one year due to her illness and she was released. Following the Forensic Medicine Institution's (ATK) report that Makbule "can stay in prison", she was detained and arrested. Women and human rights organizations reacted to the arrest of Makbule, who was placed in Van T Type Women's Closed Prison. 

 

Makbule Özer's daughter Lorin Özel Yetiş shared her mother's condition and the message she sent from prison.

 

ATK did not accept an interprete     

 

Lorin said that they took her mother to the ATK in December 2023 and that the ATK decided that she could stay in the prison rehabilitation center and that they were given two options, İzmir and Elazığ. Stating that they preferred

Izmir because they had relatives there, Lorin said, "After we made a choice, they sent us to the prison rehabilitation center R Type Prison. After my mother boarded the plane, the prosecutor's office said they would re-evaluate the process. In this process, we waited for a report for 3 months and in March we were asked for an examination. We took my mother to the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute once again. When we went in, we asked for an interpreter. We asked Kurdi-Der for an interpreter and they sent us lawyer Abdulsamet Yavuz. This person is a sworn interpreter of the Ministry of Justice. But this was not accepted. They brought their own officers. It is clear from the report that this interpreter does not speak Kurdish well. The report says 'no ear test was done because he doesn't speak Turkish'. My mother was asked to stand up and move on her own. However, the report says 'she did not get up on purpose'. My mother cannot stand up without someone's help. Therefore, the Forensic Medicine Institution said 'she can stay in prison'. However, we were not informed about this decision. When my mother went to the restroom at the ATK, when she got up in her wheelchair, she fell to the floor and hurt her knee. The doctor said she slipped." 

 

Family not informed of arrest warrant 

 

 

Stating that the police called them on Monday last week, Lorin said that they told her that she had to make a statement. Stating that they thought her mother was only called for a statement, Lorin said: "My brother said we don't have a car, we can't bring her, so they said we will come and pick her up. When the gendarmes came to the door, we felt that my mother would be arrested. When we asked, the gendarmes did not say anything to us. They took my mother to the courthouse and there we learned that an arrest warrant had been issued for my mother. An arrest warrant was issued for my mother on Monday and they arrested her without our knowledge. The lawyer didn't know about it either. My mother was not psychologically well. My mother asked us for the first time if we knew about it.  We couldn't say goodbye to our mother. Then my brother informed us about the arrest. My mother reacted and said what have I done? What can I do at my age? My mother told us on the phone 'I will resist, if I have two months I will stay inside'. During this one-year period, my mother's psychology was not good. She was already experiencing prison psychology for a year. She was in the psychology that they would arrest her. When we spoke on the phone, she was in a good mood. My mother said, 'Speak up not only for your back but for all sick prisoners. It would be beneficial for other prisoners as well as for me'. I want freedom for all prisoners on behalf of my mother. Yes, we know it will be difficult."

 

Take steps for sick prisoners      

 

Lorin addressed the Minister of Justice and demanded that steps be taken for the elderly sick prisoners and that they be released immediately. Stating that they want justice for sick prisoners, Lorin asked them to spend their last time with their families. Drawing attention to the oppression against the Kurdish people, Lorin stated that justice is derailed when it comes to Kurds and said, "My mother and father were arrested without charge. Justice has gone off the rails."

 

Appeal against arrest

 

Stating that her mother will no longer be referred to the ATK, Lorin said: "We no longer have faith in the ATK. We will apply for her to stay under house arrest. The lawyer objected to my mother's arrest. We want her to be with us under house arrest. She is a burden on the friends there and she cannot stay inside. If a person cannot meet his/her sink and bathroom needs on his/her own, he/she is in need. After my mother's arm was broken in prison, she cannot take a bath on her own. When my mother wanted to go back when she came out of the restroom, she got out of the hands of her friends and her arm was broken. The friends there were very self-sacrificing. Is this justice, they put my mother there? We believe that the friends there take good care of my mother. My mother always talked about them when she came out."

 

Promises not kept

 

Stating that the picture they saw when they went to the ATK was very sad, Lorin said, "There were many sick prisoners. This situation makes people very sad. One asks oneself a thousand times 'how can these people stay in prison'. I told my mother that this person is being held in prison because he is Kurdish. We are surprised at the justice of this country. Massacres, attacks and oppression were carried out against the Kurdish people. But sick prisoners are the last drop in the glass. The justice system must step in for all sick prisoners. The promises made for sick prisoners have not been kept. We hope that sick prisoners will regain their freedom first. They cannot be treated in prison conditions. Let them release our prisoners and we will take care of them."