Soydan Akay (50), who is imprisoned in Marmara Closed Prison, is not being released despite completing his sentence. Akay was arrested after being taken into custody in 1993 and sentenced to life imprisonment on the charge of “attempting to separate a part of the territory under the sovereignty of the state from the state administration”. Akay's sentence was completed on August 11, 2023. However, his release was postponed for 6 months on the grounds of the report prepared by the Administration and Observation Board (İGK) stating that “he did not leave the organization that formed the basis of his conviction”. Akay's release was postponed for another six months on February 12 on the grounds that he was “not in good behavior”.

 

REASON: ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION!

 

Akay's release was postponed for the third time for 6 months on August 12. Since 2018, Akay has been held in solitary confinement and his lawyer meetings have been recorded. The reason given for the postponement of Akay's release was that he was “not in good behavior”. In the notification made by the Prison Administration and Observation Board regarding the obstacle, “(... ) The fact that he is known to be in charge of PKK detainees/ convicts hosted in penal execution institutions in Turkey in line with internal and external intelligence information, that he was transferred to our institution for security and public order reasons, that he communicated for organizational purposes with PKK member detainees/ convicts in the Marmara Penal Execution Institutions campus and other penal execution institutions, Due to the ongoing assessment that it may encourage detainees and convicts who are PKK members and sympathizers to carry out actions by directing them, and that they may endanger the security of our institution and other penal execution institutions (. ...)”. 

 

Akay, whose release was prevented, has prostate cancer. He also has Hepatitis B and joint rheumatism. Akay is on the Human Rights Association's (IHD) list of “seriously ill prisoners”. 

 

Lawyer Veysel Akay came from Germany to meet his brother, whose release was prevented, at the prison's exit. However, on August 12, he received the news that the release would not take place. 

 

FAMILIES ARE PUNISHED

 

Stating that he went to see his brother every day from August 8 to August 12, Akay said that the postponement decision was left to working hours on the last day. Stating that his family and friends went to the prison for 3 days to meet Akay, Akay said that the family was also victimized and punished with the decision. 

 

 “He has been held in solitary confinement for 6 years, all his meetings are recorded. How can he be the 'Turkey Prisons Officer'? They find an excuse to keep him” Akay said and stated that ill prisoners were left to their fate.

 

'THEY WANT THEM TO REGRET'

 

Akay's guardian, Şafi Hayme, said that Akay was receiving “special treatment”. Drawing attention to Akay's illnesses, Hayme said: “Those who are ill must be released, but they don't. They release them after they are close to death. Many people died a while after they were released. The Administration and Observation Board says 'good behavior, bad behavior' according to themselves. They don't release the prisoners, they want them to repent. They say, 'What have we done that we should regret? They say 'repent' to those who have served 30 years.”

 

Hayme said that preventing the release of prisoners is “injustice” and added: “We will resist. We will be with our children and friends until the end. Because we are right. Those between 4 walls went to prison so that everyone in this country can live humanely. Let's protect not only Soydan, but all ill prisoners in prison. We want Soydan and all his friends to be released.”  

 

MA / Rukiye Adıgüzel