BDP MP transferred from Şanlıurfa prison

ŞANLIURFA - Doğan News Agency

Rumors of a riot after a fire broke out on June 16 killing 13 inmates resulted in 70 inmates, including BDP deputy İbrahim Ayhan to be transferred to Adana and Bolu prisons. DHA photo

Upon receiving information that a riot might be incited at Şanlıurfa prison, where 13 inmates died when a fire broke out June 16, 70 inmates, including Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Şanlıurfa deputy İbrahim Ayhan, have been transferred to Adana and Bolu to prevent violence.

A fire broke out at Şanlıurfa prison on June 16, claimed to have resulted from a fight among inmates. As a result of the fire, 13 inmates died and 5 were injured. Two days after the incident, a second fire occurred in the juvenile ward of the same prison, injuring numerous inmates and security personnel got injured. Forty-two inmates were transferred to the western province of Izmir and 84 others to the neighboring provinces of Elazığ, Diyarbakır and Adıyaman at that time.

Security forces learned that a new riot was possible at Şanlıurfa prison the night of July 18. The Chief Prosecutor’s Office decided to transfer all of the political offenders in the prison to other provinces after a review meeting was held with the prison administration and security forces. After receiving approval from the Justice Ministry 71 convicts, including Ayhan, were sent to prisons in Bolu and Adana. At midnight, the convicts departed Şanlıurfa via transfer vehicles with police escorts. Ten of the inmates were sent to Adana and 61 to Bolu.

Ayhan, who was elected as deputy while in prison in connection with the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) case, was sent to Adana F-type Prison. A written statement from the office of Ayhan’s counsel claimed that this transfer was unlawful and that they regard it as “relegation.”

“In the negotiations held between BDP authorities and the Justice Minister, it was declared that transferring [the inmates] to another prison without their consent was not possible. When it is considered that a transfer could not be made without informing the Justice Minister, this failure to fulfill the declaration has a certain meaning. Party authorities will take the necessary initiative against this unlawful action,” the statement reads. After the June 16 fire at Şanlıurfa prison, political prisoners at Gaziantep prison also started a fire on June 18, and juvenile prisoners in southern Osmaniye and Adana’s Ceyhan prison also torched blankets and mattresses. Another fire has broken out at a prison in the central Anatolian province of Karaman.