Yakup Brukanlı, who set himself on fire in protest against severe isolation and rights violations in Ereğli Maximum Security Prison, describes his act as an act of defence of his identity and dignity.
Isolation, repression and violence are increasing in Turkish prisons. Every day there are new reports of serious human rights violations. Prisoners resist by all means and risk their bodies and lives. On 23 August, political prisoners were transferred from several prisons in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan to Ereğli Maximum Security Prison in Konya, far from their relatives. In Konya, the prisoners were locked in solitary cells and a one-month communication ban and a ban on visits were imposed. The number of prisoners isolated in solitary cells increased to 40 in the following months.
In Turkey, more and more prisoners are resisting prison conditions that violate human rights by going on hunger strike. Yakup Brukanlı set his body on fire on 28 October 2022. He wanted to send a signal against the rights violations in prison. He had also previously tried to take legal action, but had been turned away. The prisoner survived his self-immolation with serious injuries. In a letter, he tells what happened and how his situation is. He emphasises that he set his body on fire to break the silence.
About the motivation for his action, Brukanlı writes: “When everyone closed their ears and kept silent about this unlawful arbitrary act, I had come to the conclusion that this [self-immolation] is the right way to break this ignorance. Man is a living being with his own identity and social values. Without that, it is not possible to talk about human society and existence. This situation is related to the state of consciousness. The more a person’s consciousness of social values is developed, the more he or she bases his or her practical behaviour on them. In my opinion, every person who says ‘I am me’ must protect his identity, sociality and dignity against all kinds of attacks.”
Regarding his situation after his self-immolation, Brukanlı says: “Let me explain my state of health as follows: I have 30-35 per cent injuries on my body. There are first, second and third degree burns. When I was first taken to the hospital, I refused treatment. They only bandaged the wounds and sent me back. In the hospital ward, I change the bandages every day. The first-degree burns have healed. The third-degree burns have regressed to second-degree burns and the second-degree burns are continuing.”