NORTH KURDISTAN, — Adana Branch of Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV) has compiled the applications made from Pozanti Juvenile Prison in the last one year. According to the statements by children, the detained children are exposed to rape, sexual abuse, beating and gross insults in prison within the knowledge and observation of the prison administration.
While the report of TIHV Adana Branch reveals an increase in the number of applications by arrested children, TIHV authorities had one on one interview with 25 children who were released after being remanded in custody for some time in connection with Anti-Terror Law.
The interviewed children reported that they were two by two delivered to the wards of judicial prisoners despite demanding to share the same ward with their friends.
Children told that they were during their imprisonment insulted by the prison administrator, the head guardian and other guardians who also dispossessed children of their money, prevented their eating, beat them naked in nooks and expose them to verbal sexual abuse.
One of the interviewed children told that a child from the next ward was called to the bed and raped by an ordinary prisoner. According to one other application by children, the prison administrator beat the children with a piece of a pvc window.
Applicant children told that each ward had an authorized head chosen by ordinary prisoners. While delivering TMK victim children to wards, guardians say to these ward staff; “We have brought PKK members. These children are turned over to you.”
Following the evaluation of the children’s applications by TIHV and civil society organizations in Adana and Mersin, it was determined that a large number of children have been jailed in Pozanti Juvenile Prison in connection with Anti-Terror Law.
While most of these children cannot reach TIHV because of the pressures put by their families and security forces, the majority of them are constantly followed by police after their release.