Released youths speak out! 'We were mistreated'

The Istanbul 49th Criminal Court of First Instance has ordered the release of 102 people who were arrested during protests that began following the detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu.

The detainees, including Berkay Gezgin—who was elected to the CHP Party Assembly and is known for being the inspiration behind the slogan "Everything Will Be Very Beautiful"—were released from the Marmara Penal Execution Institution in Silivri.

Speaking to BBC Türkçe after their release, the detainees recounted that they were mistreated in prison and that some were kept in the same wards as criminal inmates for a period of time.

One detainee, who did not want to be named, said they were beaten during the detention and custody process.

Another detainee said they were subjected to "verbal harassment" at the hospital within the prison complex and that they had filed a complaint regarding the matter.

The report published by BBC TÜRKÇE is as follows:

'WHY WAS I INSIDE ANYWAY?'

There is a large crowd at the entrance of the Marmara Penal Execution Institution in Istanbul's Silivri district.

The weather is gloomy, cold, and rainy, but the crowd is determined.

Dozens of people are waiting with the excitement of reuniting with their loved ones, from whom they have been separated for nearly three weeks.

The released detainees are brought to the prison gate regularly by shuttles.

Every time the door of a new shuttle opens, cheers and slogans rise from the crowd. The detainees coming out look for their loved ones with their eyes.

Black trash bags containing their personal belongings can be seen in their hands.

These are the people who were arrested for participating in the protests that broke out following the detention and arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 19.

We are speaking with Ekin Baran Yalnız, one of the 102 people whose release was ordered on April 10.

Yalnız, a 28-year-old who works as a sales manager at a company, says he has been in custody and prison for 19 days.

He explains that he was detained while leaving Saraçhane after a protest.

He is one of the detainees who was kept in the same ward as criminal inmates for a while after being brought to the prison in Silivri.

Lawyers speaking to BBC Türkçe had stated that some detainees kept with criminal convicts were subjected to psychological and physical violence.

The General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses under the Ministry of Justice issued a written statement on April 8 regarding the housing of detainees and criminal convicts in the same wards.

The statement denied allegations that a criminal convict had attacked a young detainee.

It was stated that while room and ward assignments are made, "The nature of the crime attributed to the detainees, security assessments, and the individual characteristics of the detainees are taken into account, and special care is taken to ensure that people from different crime groups are not in the same environment."

Ekin Baran Yalnız says he did not have any problems with the criminal convicts he stayed with for a while, and adds:

"Thank God, they helped us a lot during this process. People didn't sleep and gave us their beds, let me put it that way. Later on, a separate ward was created for the Saraçhane group, and they transferred us there."

When asked how he felt after being released, Yalnız replies, "I'm happy, why was I inside anyway?" and calls for the other Saraçhane detainees to be released as soon as possible.

'THEY DIDN'T TREAT US BADLY BECAUSE OF PUBLIC PRESSURE'

A male detainee who did not want to be named says he was detained in Saraçhane on March 22 and was held at the center on Vatan Street for days before being brought to prison.

The detainee states that he stayed in the same ward as those detained in Saraçhane and says the following:

"[The guards] perhaps knew we were right, or they were afraid of public pressure. They couldn't treat us that badly. We felt that."

Describing that he was subjected to violence during the detention process, the detainee said, "Medical reports and such were filed, but I don't know if they will be of any use in Turkey or not."

Ozan Gültekin, one of the released detainees, says he stayed in ward E8, number 5, and spent a total of 20 days "inside," including three in custody.

Gültekin says, "The public pressure outside in a way made us come out very strongly," and reports that the administrators and guards frequently asked them, "Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

The released detainee interprets this situation by saying, "It was because of their fear of the public opinion outside, because it was very obvious."

Gültekin says, "From the day we were taken inside, there was inevitably a sense of hopelessness, but there was also hope," and gives the following message to the dozens of young people who are still detained:

"None of them should fall into despair; we are always by their side. We will continue to provide the greatest support during this process as well."

'WE WENT THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS INSIDE'

We are speaking with another male detainee who did not want to be named.

He states that he was detained for a total of 18 days and says, "The taste of freedom is something else entirely. We really went through a very difficult process inside as well."

The detainee recounts that he was mistreated by guards and officers in prison.

He says that he was taken to the emergency room during his time in prison and was made to wait for hours in the holding cell to receive treatment.

The released detainee explains that he was handcuffed behind his back during the detention process and was beaten while being made to wait on the ground in that position for an hour.

Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç denied the allegations of mistreatment in a statement he made on April 1; he emphasized that family visits, health, hygiene, housing, and other fundamental rights were under legal protection.

Regarding the allegations of mistreatment and torture, the Minister of Justice said, "We continue to implement a zero-tolerance policy toward torture; we have never compromised our determination on this issue."

'SİLİVRİ WAS THE BEST PART OF IT'

A female detainee who did not want to be named says about the detention and imprisonment process, "Silivri was the best part of it."

The detainee reports that she experienced problems regarding food, drink, and housing in the holding cell where she was kept on Vatan Street.

Emphasizing that she was not beaten while being detained, the detainee says she was taken to the hospital in the complex where the Marmara Penal Execution Institution is located, and that she was "verbally harassed" by staff there and "subjected to visual harassment" by criminal convicts.

She states that she was made to wait for hours in the hospital's holding cell and that she filed complaints with international organizations and members of parliament regarding the matter.

The female detainee says about the process in prison, "We all realized that women are truly each other's sanctuary," and adds:

"I wish it hadn't been like this. I wish no one had been subjected to this disgusting treatment here.

"All of my friends who are still inside will get out. I have been released, and I will continue to be their voice because I am out. I will not give up on anyone in any way. I will not give up on what I believe in."