SİNCAN - It was revealed that the decision to postpone the release of Sermin Demirdağ, a 30-year prisoner in Sincan Women's Prison, for 6 months was taken before the Administrative and Observation Board meeting.

 

The Administration and Observation Board of Sincan Women's Closed Prison postponed the release of Sermin Demirdağ, who has been detained for 30 years, for the second time. Demirdağ's release was postponed for 3 months in March and 6 months in August. The reasons for Demirdağ's decision to postpone his release for the last 6 months were "not making the job of the guards easier during searches in the ward, there being investigations against him on the grounds of "terrorist propaganda" and "being a member of a terrorist organization", not attending the board meeting and not participating in the improvement programs offered by the prison. Citing the aforementioned reasons, the Board decided that Demirdağ was not of "good behavior".

 

DECISION HAS BEEN MADE IN PRIOR

 

Stating that the board's decision was delivered to him on August 24, Demirdağ said: "Although the prosecutor signed the decisions, the prosecutor was not present at the meeting. When the decision of the board meeting was notified to her by the guards accompanied by a camera, I said that I would join the board attended by the prosecutor, I want my lawyer to take part in the board meeting, which turns into a kind of trial."

 

Stating that at this point she had not received a call back and that the decision was notified after a week had passed, Demirdağ said: "When I looked at the paper, I saw that the board had met and made a decision before being called to the meeting; however, my release was postponed on the grounds that I did not agree to attend the meeting. This is an indication of unlawfulness. The said investigation was also carried out for 2 days. It is stated that it was initiated on August 15, 2019, on the grounds that the Kurdish prayer was being chanted in the cells. Although the file was closed by the execution judgeship, the prison prosecutor's office persistently keeps the investigation file open. Our lawyers cannot obtain information about the investigation due to the confidentiality order. When we look at the whole situation, there are reasons to punish us and prolong our detention. This situation is unacceptable."

 

It was learned that Demirdağ objected to the decision through her lawyers.

 

Özlem Demir, one of the prisoners whose release has been postponed for a long time, stated that she would not attend the meeting when she saw that there was no prosecutor in the Administration and Observation Board from which she was removed. The board, which includes officials such as the prison's second director, chief warden, technician and teacher, said: "This is the lower committee, you cannot go to the upper board without its approval." Pointing out that the prosecutor's signature was on the decisions, Demir walked out of the meeting. Politician Zeynep Bingöl also said that she would not go to the board where there was no prosecutor. 

 

The Execution and Observation Board is expected to make a decision about Demir and Bingöl in the coming days.

 

MA / Dicle Müftüoğlu