On December 10, 2020 the “postponement of execution” decision issued by the Court of Cassation on Aytaç Ünsal was lifted by the Istanbul Prosecutor General’s Office, leading to the placement of Aytaç Ünsal in Edirne F-Type closed prison.
According to information that we have received Aytaç Ünsal was taken into custody again after he was released on September 3, 2020, following a 213 days hunger strike to demand fair trails and the administration of justice in Turkey.
According to the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), it is stated that the house where Aytaç Ünsal stayed, while continuing his treatment to recover from the hunger strike, was illegally raided by special operation police forces on November 22, 2020. While visiting a friend in Edrine, Aytaç Ünsal was taken into custody on December 9, 2020 by the Anti-Terror Police. The Minister of Interior stated that Aytaç Ünsal was arrested in order to prevent him from “fleeing abroad”. One day later, Aytaç Ünsal was placed in Edirne F-Type closed prison.
After appealing and filing petitions of objection against the decision to annul the decision “to postpone the execution”, Aytaç Ünsal’s lawyers are now awaiting a decision on their final petition of objection.
We were informed that the current health situation and the conditions Aytaç Ünsal is kept in are worrisome. He has open wounds near his eyes, was exposed to physical violence resulting in suffering from pain and a burning sensation in his legs (which are congested) and is not allowed to take his medicine for neuropathy disease while he is suffering because of the damage resulting from the hunger strike. Also, although his COVID-19 test resulted negative, he has been kept in solitary confinement.
Lawyers for Lawyers is deeply concerned about the health condition of Aytaç Ünsal.
