Abdullah Ateş, who is being held in Iğdır Type-S Closed Prison, suffers from multiple chronic illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, stomach problems and esophageal conditions. Despite his age and medical condition, he is not being released. 

 

Abdullah Ateş was sentenced to life imprisonment based on statements from a “secret witness,” reportedly for his involvement in a peace committee formed during the 2015 dialogue process for Kurdish issue to reconcile feuding families.

 

 

His son, Behçet Ateş, said the case against his father was based on what he described as a fabricated indictment. He noted that the case file consisted of 3,600 pages and that his father was sentenced after a secret witness claimed he was involved.

 

Describing the prison as “like a grave” for prisoners, Behçet Ateş said his father’s multiple chronic illnesses require frequent medical attention. “He is taken to hospital at least three times a week, but the facilities in Iğdır lack the capacity to properly treat his conditions,” he said.

 

He added that the harsh isolation conditions in the Type-S prison and limited healthcare services are worsening his father’s condition day by day.

 

Ateş was recently referred to the Institution of Forensic Medicine in Istanbul for evaluation, his son said, adding that they are currently waiting for the report while “time is working against us.”

 

Speaking about the impact on the family, Behçet Ateş said his mother passed away five months ago and that they remain deeply concerned about his father’s condition.

 

Calling for broader action, he added: “Not only my father, but all seriously ill prisoners should be released immediately. We cannot accept that someone who worked for peace is left to die in isolation based on secret witness testimony.”