Turkey urged to include political prisoners in virus release law

The country’s parliament is scheduled to vote on the draft law next week. (File/AFP)

• The ruling party presented a plan to parliament this week to release 90,000 inmates from the country’s overcrowded prisons to prevent the spread of COVID-19
• The draft law concerns several categories of prisoners, among them pregnant women and older people with medical conditions

ISTANBUL: Human Rights Watch on Friday called on Turkey’s government to include political prisoners in its draft law to release tens of thousands of prisoners as a safety measure against the coronavirus outbreak.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) presented a plan to parliament this week to release 90,000 inmates from the country’s overcrowded prisons to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The party said some 45,000 people would be released under the law that provides early release on parole and the number would rise to 90,000 with those to be put under house arrest.
The draft law concerns several categories of prisoners, among them pregnant women and older people with medical conditions.
But it excludes murderers, sexual offenders and narcotics criminals as well as political prisoners charged under Turkey’s controversial anti-terrorism laws.
“When taking action to protect prisoners from the COVID-19 virus, those at gravest risk should not be left out of consideration,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
“The Turkish government’s positive proposal to reduce overcrowded prisons is undermined by the blanket exclusion of thousands of inmates convicted on terrorism charges, including those at risk of death from the virus and those who should not be in prison in the first place.”
The country’s parliament is scheduled to vote on the draft law next week.
Turkey launched a vast crackdown in the wake of a failed coup attempt in 2016, with tens of thousands behind bars for links to outlawed Kurdish militants, or the movement led by US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen.
The government blames Gulen for orchestrating the coup attempt — a claim he has denied.
There are journalists, politicians, and rights defenders in prison who are still on remand facing trial on terrorism charges. Among them are businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala and Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas.