ANKARA - The release of 3 prisoners from Sincan Women's Prison was prevented on the grounds of "not being ready to integrate with society" and "not being well behaved".

 

11 political prisoners in Ankara Sincan Women's Closed Prison are not released due to the decisions of the Administration and Observation Board, even though they have completed the execution periods of their prison sentences. The Prison's Administration and Observation Board met on February 9 to evaluate the situation of the prisoners named Ozlem Demir, Sabite Ekinci and Zeynep Bingöl, who completed their execution terms. 

 

While Demir and Ekinci attended the board meeting, Bingöl did not attend. Demir and Ekinci, to whom the Board members asked questions regarding their past political activities, objected to this situation, stating that these questions fell within the scope of the case file in which they were tried, and that the Board could not position itself as a judicial authority.

 

The Board, which came together to make a decision on February 15, postponed the release of all three women prisoners on the grounds that they "did not behave well."

 

One of the prisoners, Ozlem Demir, was supposed to be released on December 11, 2022, due to completing the execution of the 9-year prison sentence given to her on the charge of "being a member of a terrorist organization", her release was postponed once again for 6 months by the decision of the board. The reasons for the postponement decision conveyed to Demir were listed as follows: "The convict, who was held subject during the reparation period, did not have any behavior that facilitated the work of the institution administration and staff during general and partial searches and counts during the execution period, did not persistently accept the improvement plan prepared within the scope of good behavior practice, and was required by collective life. Since she did not act in accordance with the awareness of responsibility, she continued her organizational attitudes and behaviors, it cannot be said that she acted in accordance with the awareness of responsibility required by social life, and there was an open investigation carried out by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office as a suspect for the actions of 'being a member of a terrorist organization' and 'making propaganda for a terrorist organization'... She is not being ready to integrate with society.”

 

SAME REASONS LISTED

 

Zeynep Han Bingöl, one of the prisoners, was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months for "being a member of a terrorist organization". Although she was supposed to be released on July 22, 2022, her release was postponed. Bingöl will be released on June 5, with the Board's decision of "release ipso jure". Bingöl did not attend the Board meeting and her release was postponed, citing all the reasons listed for Demir.

 

Sabite Ekinci was not released for similar reasons. Ekinci will be " release ipso jure" on May 1.

 

The release of Sermin Demirdağ, who has not been released for a year despite completing her life sentence in the same prison, was once again postponed for 6 months.

 

THE DECISION WILL BE APPEALED

 

Demirdağ, Ekinci, Bingöl and Demir will appeal to the Execution Judgeship regarding the decision of the Administrative and Observation Board.

 

The names of other prisoners held in Sincan Women's Closed Prison and whose release was postponed are as follows: Nedime Yaklav, Jiyan Ateş, Necla Yıldız, Mukaddes Kubilay, Rozerin Kurt, Sedef Demir and Dilan Oynaş.

 

MA / Dicle Müftüoğlu - Sincan Women's Closed Prison