Call to the Minister of Justice from Elif Atayman, transferred from Silivri to Afyonkarahisar: 'My family cannot visit'

Dr. İpek Elif Atayman, former General Manager of Medya A.Ş., who has been in custody since March 19 as part of an investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) and was transferred from Silivri to Afyonkarahisar Closed Prison on June 5 without the knowledge of her family or lawyers, shared the treatment she has been subjected to and issued a call to the Minister of Justice.

Noting that she had expected to be released in the belief that justice would prevail as she had committed no crime, but that the physical and psychological violence, which took its most concrete form with her transfer to Afyon, made it necessary to share the process, Atayman said, "I was held in a cell for 72 days, and then in a ward for 5 days. Then, with only a piece of bread, I was transferred to Afyon in a one-square-meter armored cabin with my wrists handcuffed for 7.5 hours."

Calling on Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç, Atayman explained how her detention had turned into torture:

"My wrists are bruised from the handcuffs. I am sleeping on the floor here. My belongings are in a trash bag. I only have the right to a 10-minute visit once a week. This is not a trial; it is violence and clear punishment. I have no MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) record, no HTS (Historical Traffic Search) record, and no suspicious assets. All documents regarding my 20-month tenure as general manager are with the judiciary; I have not provided a single illegal or non-regulatory service. No questions to the contrary have been asked. What is wanted from me? I do not understand on what grounds I am being subjected to this treatment. Mr. Minister of Justice, you used to say, 'Detainees are entrusted to our state'; is this how you take care of them? End this physical and psychological violence, this torture. If, despite all these facts, it is claimed that there is 'concrete evidence indicating the existence of strong suspicion of a crime,' then let me be tried without arrest!

While I was waiting calmly for my release in the belief that justice would prevail as I had committed no crime, the physical and psychological violence, which took its most concrete form with the transfer to Afyon, made it necessary to share the process. I was held in a cell for 72 days, and then in a ward for 5 days. Then, with only a piece of bread, I was transferred to Afyon in a one-square-meter armored cabin with my wrists handcuffed for 7.5 hours. My wrists are bruised from the handcuffs. I am sleeping on the floor here. My belongings are in a trash bag. I only have the right to a 10-minute visit once a week. This is not a trial; this is clear punishment...

"I HAVE NO MASAK RECORD, NO HTS RECORD"

I have no MASAK record, no HTS record, and no suspicious assets. All documents regarding my 20-month tenure as general manager are with the judiciary; I have not provided a single illegal or non-regulatory service. No questions to the contrary have been asked. What is wanted from me? I do not understand on what grounds I am being subjected to this treatment. During my time in office, I looked out for the interests of the institution by replacing the official vehicle with a modest one. I even had my general manager business cards printed at a stationery store so as not to be an expense to the institution I worked for. Is this my crime?"

"MY RIGHT TO VISIT AND DEFENSE IS EFFECTIVELY PREVENTED"

Stating that family and lawyer visits would be very difficult due to the distance of Afyonkarahisar from Istanbul, Atayman emphasized that her right to visit and defense was effectively prevented in this way:

"Transportation to Afyonkarahisar takes at least 6 hours, and the nearest airport is 60 kilometers away. My family are elderly people... My security and health rights are being violated, my right to visit and defense is being effectively prevented; my personal rights and the presumption of innocence are being trampled upon."

Stating that she is being isolated and her social ties are being severed, Dr. İpek Elif Atayman said, "With this transfer, I am being isolated and cut off from my social ties. I have not behaved in any way to deserve the conditions I am in. To this day, I have not committed a single act that would harm the state or the nation."

The Atayman family also expressed that what is happening has turned into clear punishment and that the principles of the rule of law are being violated, calling on the Ministry by saying, "Elif is being tossed from place to place with changes in cells, wards, and prisons without any charges. If this is not punishment, what is? These practices are neither legal nor conscientious. We just want justice. Release Elif, let her be tried without arrest."