Mahmut Temel, who is held in Siirt E Type Closed Prison, told about the abuses they have been exposed to during a weekly phone call to his older sister, Kumri Alağaş.

Temel told her he suffered from two heart spasms two weeks ago.

Temel said that despite the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic, necessary preventive measures have not been taken in prison and violations of rights are actually increasing by the day.

Temel told his sister: "I suffere a heart spasm twice in prison 2 weeks ago. I was taken to the hospital once. I'm better now. We have drinking water shortage. No hot water is given. There are no precautions for the coronavirus outbreak.

Hygiene and cleaning products are not given to us. We told the administration we'll buy them with our money, but they haven't accept this either. No disinfection work was carried out in prison. A disciplinary investigation has been opened against us because we talked about the violations in prison. They said they would punish us by putting us in isolation. We will object to this. Neither are they taking us to the hospital nor is a doctor coming here. We are 13 people in a ward. We're left to die."

Temel' sister, Kumri Alagaş, said that her brother had a heart problem 4 years ago because of prison conditions. She added that they tried to speak with the prison authorities as soon as they learned of the problem suffered by her brother.

However a prison office replied to the family: "There is no such thing. If such a thing happened, he would be in the hospital. All of our prisoners are in good health and they have no problem."

Alağaş said that the prisoners are worried about their lives. "Measures to counter the coronavirus outbreak should be taken as soon as possible. All political prisoners should be released."