ISTANBUL - The release of Soydan Akay, a seriously ill prisoner who spent 30 years in solitary cell for 5 years, was postponed for 6 months for the second time due to "not being well behaved".

 

Lawyers for Freedom Association (OHD) Istanbul Branch held a press conference at the association building in Beyoğlu for seriously ill prisoner Soydan Akay. Akay’s family also attended to the press conference. Akay, who is in Marmara No. 9 Type F High Security Prison, was supposed to be released on February 12 but Akay’s release was postponed for 6 months on the grounds of "not being well behaved". 

 

CONVERSATIONS ARE RECORDED

 

Lawyer Berivan Bekçi reminded that Akay's release was postponed for 6 months in August and emphasized that he has been held in solitary cell since 2018. Bekçi said: “Since April 2018, the recording of camera recordings of lawyers' meetings has been restricted with the decision 'to record his meetings with his lawyers and to have an officer present so that his conversations can be heard during the meeting'. Restriction decisions have been based on the same copy-paste abstract justifications for 6 years, and Akay has been subjected to arbitrary rights. At the same time, Akay has been under the intensive care of the prison administration for 6 years."

 

Bekçi reminded that despite this intense surveillance, the Administration and Observation Board "decided to leave the organization on which Akay was convicted" and said that this was against the normal course of the situation. Bekçi said that, as OHD, they will legally pursue any arbitrary practices given to prisoners and the decisions of the Administration and Observation Board.

 

'THERE IS ENTRY TO THE PRISON, NO EXIT'

 

Akay's lawyer Esra Bilen said: “There is entry into the prison, but there is no exit from the prison. Entry to prison is made by a judge or court decision. However, leaving the prison is prevented by administrative boards that cannot make legal evaluations and have no legal credibility."

 

'OUR FAMILY IS ALSO BEING PUNISHED'

 

Akay's nephew Kıvılcım Akay stated that the family was also punished after the release decision was overturned. Akay said: “It is a slow and difficult process for us. I have been in this process since my childhood and now I am an adult, it is really hard for us to see that things have not changed in the country and are getting worse."

 

OHD Istanbul Branch Co-chair Ishak Demirel also stated that the Administration and Observation Board was included within the scope of the law in a planned manner in order to prevent the release of political prisoners.

 

WHAT HAPPENED?

 

Cancer patient Soydan Akay, who was supposed to be released on August 11, 2023, was postponed for 6 months by the decision of the Administration and Observation Board, on the grounds that he was "not being well behaved". Although Akay was supposed to be released on February 12, 2024, his release was postponed a second time on the grounds that he was "not being well behaved". Although Akay was not sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, he has been held in solitary cell since April 2018.

 

Again, since April 2018, Akay's meetings have been recorded within the scope of the decision "to record his meetings with his lawyers and to have an officer present so that his conversations can be heard during the meeting".