27 October 2010
Campaign was started by former 1980 military coup prisoners
The petition started by the prisoners of the military coup period for the conversion of Diyarbakır Number 5 Military Prison into a museum, is getting more and more signatures. Within the scope of the campaign, the number of collected signatures in Diyarbakır alone is over 20 thousand.
While Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave ‘the good news of’ a new prison to Diyarbakır citizens at his speech in Diyarbakır, the Commission of Investigating Diyarbakır Prison and Justice responded to this ‘good news’ with a petition started on 18 October for the convension of the prison into a museum. Booths were set up in Diyarbakır in particular, Mardin, Urfa, Batman and Mersin for the campaign. Besides the regional cities, the petition is continuing in many other cities of Turkey. Near the prisoners of 12 September coup period, volunteers also collect signatures for the campaign, which will continue with various activities. Besides, the Commission of Investigating Diyarbakır Prison and Justice will open its central office in Diyarbakır and prepare a web site.
Abdulgani Alkan, the Spokesman of the Commission of Investigating Diyarbakır Prison, informed about the petition as follows; “We started this petition on 18 October, after the denunciation we made to Diyarbakır Courthouse about the prison on 11 October. The campaign was started by the prisoners of the military coup period, who were kept in Diyarbakır Numb 5 Military Prison”. Remarking that the campaign bases on not destructing Diyarbakır Number 5 Military Prison and converting it into a museum, Alkan said the followings; “This prison is a shame of Turkey. There is a struggle against the destruction of the prison. After completing our extensive works and the petition, we will present them to TBMM (Grand National Assembly of Turkey), to Justice Commission and many related places”.
Alkan indicated that they, as the tortured prisoners of the coup process, will do whatever they can for the conversion of Diyarbakır Number 5 Military Prison into a museum.
Translation: Berna Ozgencil
ANF / DIYARBAKIR
ANF NEWS AGENCY
