The Exchange

Elif A. is the latest inmate to be sent to the notorious prison in the major Kurdish metropolis of Díyarébekir in Turkey. Elif A. was arrested and is being tried for participating in a democracy march outside the headquarters of the Kurdish Political Party, the DTP, which was recently ´Shut down´ by Turkey.

Elif A. had recently recieved her school report directly from the Secretary of State for Education for her 1st class achievements in the reputable Díyarébekir Secondary Grammar (Andolu Lyceé) School. She was by far the most successful student at the school. She is now in high security prison accused of unpatriotic thoughts and intentions.

Elif A. is not the only child to have been arrested in Díyarébekir this year.  267 children aged between 12-18 have been charged and tried by the Turkish authorities in the city. These children are being accused of having undesirable political views that allegedly breach the Turkish state code of Unitarianism ‘Turkey belongs to the Turks’. These children have simply sought to express their most basic human rights, their Kurdish identity and the freedom of speech in Kurdish.

Elif A. was exercising her democratic right of protest, which is in theory not illegal in Turkey because the country portrays itself as a ‘Democracy’. Turkey is a ‘Democracy’ where children as young as 12 are languishing in notorious prisons that are often shared with adults and serious offenders.

Elif A. is being tried in an Adult High Security Criminal Court and the prosecutor is seeking 15 years imprisonment for Elif A. For the avoidance of doubt, Elif A. simply took part in a protest..for which she is facing 15 years in a notorious prison where torture was found to be widespread. The E type prison-high security- was so overwhelmed with the number of children, a new ward has now been built to house them. The adult ward had run out of beds. These children are prisoners of conscience. The Turkish authorities are unlikely to show mercy without the international pressure. These children are likely suffer humiliation and torture.

It is with great concern that I relate the injustice faced by these children who are tried in adult courts and often made to share cells with adults in high security prisons. These children are innocent and their only crime is their aspirations for the fundamental human rights that most children take for granted.

The European Union cannot and must not remain silent when such gross violations take place at its doorstep in a country that EU hopes to welcome as a member. This matter needs urgent attention. Elif.A and her peers should be in school, not prison.