ŞIRNEX – Tenzile Acar, a seriously ill prisoner suffering from tuberculosis due to untreated Hepatitis B, has been unable to receive treatment for three years because of the forced practice of handcuffed medical examinations. Tenzile Acar’s mother, Rısmiye Acar, has called for the release of sick prisoners.
According to data from the Human Rights Association (İHD) Central Prison Commission, there are at least 1,412 ill prisoners in prisons, 335 of whom are seriously ill. Among the seriously ill prisoners, 230 cannot live independently, and 105 require support. Sick prisoners who need regular treatment at hospitals face obstacles such as interruptions in treatment, abuse during transport, failure to be referred to hospitals, insufficient nutrition, invasive body searches, and forced handcuffed examinations, which prevent access to care. One such prisoner is Tenzile Acar, who is listed by İHD as chronically ill with Hepatitis B and severe tuberculosis.
Tenzile Acar was detained during an identity check by police on March 21, 2017, in Kanarya Neighborhood, Küçükçekmece district of Istanbul. She was subjected to severe torture while in custody. Charged with "terror propaganda" and "terrorist organization membership" she was arrested and sent to Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison. In her trial, she was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Her untreated Hepatitis B developed into tuberculosis during this period. Struggling to breathe, Tenzile Acar has been unable to receive regular hospital examinations for about three years due to her resistance to the forced handcuffed medical exams.
Rısmiye Acar (48), Tenzile’s mother, drew attention to the peace process initiated by Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s "Call for Peace and Democratic Society" on February 27, and called for the immediate release of ill prisoners.
Speaking about her daughter’s severe torture during detention, Rısmiye Acar said: “She endured 18 days of torture. My daughter is a brave girl, loved by her friends and always helping others. After her arrest, her illness worsened, but they don’t take her to the hospital. A sick person wants to get treatment, but my daughter is denied it. They have not taken her to the hospital for years. She wants to go but her requests are ignored. In the early years, she was taken a few times but was subjected to handcuffed exams. Despite being a woman, male officers wanted to enter the examination room. My daughter did not accept this.”
Rısmiye Acar emphasized that many ill prisoners in jails cannot access treatment due to forced handcuffed exams and invasive mouth inspections. She demand release of ill prisoners.
Pointing out that the Peace and Democratic Society Process initiated by Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan has increased hope among prisoners’ families, Rısmiye Acar added: “We want peace. We wait for good news every day. The state must do its duty and take concrete steps. Mr. Öcalan is doing everything he can for peace and taking great steps. But the state has not yet taken any steps in return. Mr. Öcalan’s words raise the hope for peace. All prisoners’ families should wholeheartedly embrace this process. If prisoners’ families unite, good things will happen.”
MA / Emrullah Acar