After an evaluation by the Forensic Medicine Institute of Turkey (ATK), 81-year-old Makbule Özer, who was initially arrested in Edremit, Van on May 9, 2022, and later released on probation, is slated to go back to prison on Monday.
According to reports from the Mesopotamia News Agency, a letter sent by the ATK to the court on November 11 highlighted that, based on Özer’s current documents and examination findings, it was deemed suitable for her to remain in the conditions of an R (rehabilitation) type prison. The decision, made unanimously, indicates that a re-evaluation will occur after she undergoes an examination with health board reports showing observations and her current situation three months later.
The ATK report also noted that Özer arrived at the examination in a wheelchair, citing health issues such as asthma, shortness of breath, limited knee, foot, ankle movements, and visual impairment. Today, after a meeting with the prosecutor, the family has been instructed to deliver Özer to the R-type prison on Monday.
Family Protests Alleged Injustice
In response, Naime Özer, the daughter of Makbule Özer, expressed her discontent, stating, “A 61% disability report was issued for my mother at the regional hospital. We submitted these reports to the prosecutor’s office. Subsequently, we took my mother to Forensic Medicine, where ATK determined that staying in an R-type prison was appropriate. Even today, during our courthouse visit, we had to transport her in a wheelchair. My mother is currently unable to meet her own needs, unlike last year when she could at least fetch a glass of water. This is an unjust situation. The entire world has witnessed the challenges my mother is facing. We demand an end to this injustice.”
