Ozgur Politika January 11, 2002 Insistance in the 'Three Doors, Three Locks' MHA / ISTANBUL Civil society organisations, trade unions and political parties have started campaigning for signatures, which should be presented to the Minister of Justice, in order to get implemented the 'Three Doors, Three Locks' proposal which aims at the ending of the death fasts. Also the Istanbul Bar Association and the Artists Initiative called the Ministry to accept the proposal. In the anouncement of the camaign it was said "We, as defenders of Human Rights, are hopeful that the deaths fasts which have continued for seasons will end, because of the fact that the 'Three Doors, Three Locks' proposal initiated by the Bar Associations of Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya and Izmir was also accepted by the prisoners". Regarding Minister of Justice Hikmet Sami Turk's refusal of the proposal towards the unification of three rooms for each three persons in the F-type prisons, the chairman of the Istanbul Bar Association, Yucel Sayman said "The decision of Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk is not juridical but political." A group called the 'Artists Initiative', amongst them Edip Akbayram, Suavi, Ataol Behramoglu, Orhan Alkaya and Rutkay Aziz visited the Chairman of the Bar Association Yucel Sayman. During the visit Sayman said, "The Minister said that the proposal was contrary to article 16 of the Anti-Terror-Law. We think that this is not the case. The decision of the Minister is not juridical but political. Even if it seems to be juridical it is political. Our aim is to produce a solution", noting that the Justice Minister doesn't look sympathetically upon the 'Three Doors, Three Locks" proposal. The artist Suavi said that it was possible to create again new solutions to end the death fasts, but that there was not enough time for this.
Yedinci Gundem January 10, 2002 'Not political, political'. İSTANBUL - After the form 'Three Doors, Three Locks' proposed by four Bar Associations was met with a negative response by the Minster of Justice, artists visited the Istanbul Bar association and stated that they were supporting the proposal. Today at 12:30 p.m Edip Akbayram, Rutkay Aziz, Ataol Behramoglu, Bilgesu Erenus, Dilek Gökçin, Erdal Öz, Vecdi Sayar, Zeynep Tonbay, Orhan Alkaya, Üstün Arman and Suavi visited Yucel Sayman, the chairman of the Bar Association in the name of the Artist Initiative. The artists said that they did not understand the reasons of the Justice Minister, for not accepting the form 'Three Doors, Three Locks'. Suavi made it clear that after this moment no technical solution will be possible to stop the deaths and said "We haven't got time for a new project, it is much too late actually. People are dying. We have to insist in the 'Three Doors, Three Locks' proposal. Sayman said also "our proposal is not contrary to article 16. The first draft of article 16 forbids our proposal. But the article was changed. That means article 16 suggests at least to end the isolation". Yedinci Gundem January 11, 2002 ANKARA - .To make the Minister of Justice accept the statement which is seen as a beacon of hope for a solution of the F-type prison question, an open press meeting will be held tomorrow. The institutions participating in the meeting are the Ankara Branch of the IHD, the Ankara Branch of the Association of Progressive Jurists, TAYAD (Solidarity Association of the Prisoners' Families), Ankara Branch of the Cultural Association Pir Sultan Abdal, the Initiative of Intellectuals and Artists, the platform of the Ankara Branch of the People's Houses, platform of the Ankara Branch of KESK, Executive Committee for the region Ankara of the Genel-Is Trade Union, Ankara Branch of the Tüm-Tis Trade Union and provincial Executive Committee of the Peace Party in Ankara, HADEP, EMEP, ÖDP and Provincial Executive Committee of the TKP in Ankara. Cumhuriyet (daily newspaper in Turkey) January 10, 2002 The Justice Minister Turk suggested that 10 convicts at a time could be allowed five hours a week to talk to each other. Rejection of "Three doors, three locks" The Justice Minister Turk has brought about and publicised a circular, containing the conditional offer, in connection with death fasts that have gone on for a year and a half, that as many as 10 people at a time can meet for five hours a week, conditional upon the death fasts coming to an end. The circular also gives convicts conditions for engaging in social activities. ANKARA (Cumhuriyet office) - The Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk, rejected the Ankara, Antalya, Istanbul and Izmir bars proposal for ending the "Three door, three locks" proposal for ending the death fasts in the F-Type prisons, citing legal obstacles. Turk came up with a "pre-conditional" offer for ending the actions, which have gone on for a year and a half. According to this, it would be determined that conditions were to be created for a maximum of 10 people to come to the areas for five hours a week "to convalesce, for education, sport, occupational training and building work" activities. However, a "selection commission" would decide who would go to such an area, and there was no clarity about what criteria it would follow. At a press conference yesterday, Justice Minister Turk evaluated the ongoing hunger strikes and death fasts in the F-Type prisons. Turk said that in the F-Type prisons eight persons were on hunger strike and 142 were on death fasts. Turk stated that the "Three Doors, Three Locks" suggestion by the Ankara, Antalya, Izmir and Istanbul bar chairmen, which would give a total of nine convicts and prisoners the ability to come together in an area, should be criticised because it was sent to the media but not sent in as an official application. Re the proposal, Turk noted from the point of view of the law and practicability that the corridor was not seen as an area for communal living. Turk said that Paragraph 16 of Turkey's Basic Law created legal obstacles to the proposal, adding, "The way things are set up rather goes against such a proposal. Even if we said there were no legal obstacles, it is not convenient from the point of view of the physical construction and security considerations of F-Type prisons." The Justice Minister noted that if the terror organisations had the courage to take the first step of ending the action, "We are thinking of giving groups of 10 prisoners and convicts at a time the possibility of coming together for five hours a week to chat, "he said. Turk announced that "if the actions come to an end," a circular could be immediately prepared to put this into practice. Justice Minister Turk announced that all prison administrations had been told not to hinder physical possibilities for people to meet for five hours and see each other openly. Turk said the F-Type prisons met international standards and it was necessary to end the actions, adding, "Everyone who wanted to resolve the situation should be helpful to the Justice Ministry." Cumhuriyet January 11, 2002 "F-TYPE" CIRCULAR READY Good conditions for having conversations **According to a circular from the Justice Ministry to be distributed conditional upon an end to the death fasts, at least one area must be added on for convicts and prisoners who want to meet for a chat, to convalesce, for educational, sporting, occupational training or building work purposes. But a selection commission will determine who will come to an area to meet for a conversation. For this reason not everyone will be able to come to such an area who wants to. ILHAN TASCI ANKARA - The Justice Ministry has prepared a circular to be issued conditional upon the hunger strikes and death fasts ending in the F-Type prisons. The Justice Minister said that he would sign such a circular on condition of the actions ending, providing for a maximum of 10 persons who are to be determined by a "selection commission" to be able to come together to converse for five hours a week. Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said the circular was prepared in connection with a proposal to bring an end to the hunger strikes and death fasts. He noted that the text of the circular would be settled and it would be issued when the condition of the death fasts ending was met. The circular would be put into effect and sent to all administration offices and chief prosecutors' offices with the signature of Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk if the condition of the actions ending was met. In the circular prepared by the Justice Ministry, preconditions were to be met for prisoners and convicts to meet to converse or engage in education, sports, occupational training, building work or other social and cultural activities. This is what is said in the circular, to be issued conditional upon the actions ending: At the back of page 17Good conditions for holding a conversation Heading on page 1"An area or other common space seen as convenient for a group not exceeding 10 convicts and prisoners who wish to do so, to be chosen by a selection commission, is to be set up in conformity with the known conditions so they can meet for a conversation or other activities in the space of a week for a period of time not exceeding five hours, under supervision of the administration who will be officially informed. The administration will ensure that there is no interference with face to face meetings, lawyers and visitors during the total of five hours organised in the course of the week." The chair of the Ankara Bar Sadik Erdogan said that the Ministry's proposal had taken the first step by abandoning the idea of "Definitely not." The new suggestion had created growing hope for a solution. "The Minister's proposal has opened a new horizon," he said. Erdogan said, "The Ministry and Minister who said under no conditions would they take a step back, have taken a step forward with this proposal. Everyone is waiting for the death fasts to come to an end as soon as possible." Istanbul Bar Chairman Yucel Sayman, who did not join in the criticism of his bar's "Three Doors Three Locks" proposal which he had learned about from the media, noted that a visit was made to the Ministry, "hoping for a solution". Sayman stressed that he did not act as a mediator or for the Justice Ministry when he put the proposal forward, but indicated that he had shared the proposal with public opinion while acting in an independent capacity. --- Support for "Three Doors Three Locks" **Cultural Service - The chairman of Turkey's branch of The International Writers' Association (PEN) Ustun Akmen assessed that the joint proposal by the bars for "three doors three locks" was perhaps the last chance for a solution of this issue. Akmen said, "If the Justice Ministry were to show common sense, the death fasts which have gone on for nearly a year and a half could end." International Law Association Radikal January 12, 2002 AHMET ŞIK/, ISTANBUL - The complaint of the prisoners who claimed that they were subjected to torture during the transfers following the operations for the 'Return to Life' ended with the decision of no prosecution. The file of 65 people, of which some claimed to having being raped with a truncheon at the Kandira F type prison, was closed even before examining the medical reports, with the reason of "lack of evidence". 65 of those prisoners who were transferred to the F type prison of Kandira after the operations for the 'Return to Life' on the 19th of December 2000, were going before court with the allegation that they were subjected to torture while being separated into two groups. Eight of the prisoners who claimed that they were beaten up by the soldiers and guardians at the prison to which they have been transferred during and after the operation, also affirmed that they were raped with truncheons. At the end of the investigation the Public Prosecution Office of Kandira decided not to prosecute with the reason that there was no other evidence than the allegations of the suitors. The attorney of the victims, Gulizar Tuncer, protested that the testimony of most of the complainants wasn't even taken. Tuncer said: "It's incoherent with the law that only the testimony of guardians and soldiers are taken. Except of one, the testimony of my clients wasn't taken, the witnesses weren't listened to... But the prosecutors gave such a decision without even finding it necessary to examine those reports."... Gulizar Tuncer, who stated that she wasn't even informed about the decision of no prosecution although her address is known, went before a higher court and appealed against the decision. "There exists torture reports" Tuncer, who claims that the prosecutors were not fulfilling their duty of collecting evidence, said: "It is contrary to the law to decide not to prosecute with the reason of a lack of evidence. Although the medical reports of my client regarding being tortured were inside the files, the prosecutors ignored this evidence".
