What happened to the Ozcerit family during the Tenkil process, which started after July 15 in Turkey, is at a level that would embarrass humanity. Assoc. Dr. Ahmet Turan Ozcerit was a successful academic who worked in the Department of Computer Engineering at Sakarya University. He was detained on July 26, 2016, after being expelled by decree law, and arrested on August 6, 2016. He was accused of ‘traveling too many countries’ and ‘arbiting TÜBİTAK projects’. After staying in Sakarya Ferizli Prison for three weeks, Ozcerit  was transferred to Bandirma Prison, located in a city farther from his family.

Ahmet Turhan Ozcerit was suffering from abdominal pains due to problems in his gallbladder before he was arrested. These pains increased in prison, but there was a different problem. With the pain, his appetite was lost, he became weak. He lost 30 kilos and his health started to deteriorate day by day. As the pain continued, he applied to the infirmary, but was sent back to his ward each time. According to what he wrote in a letter he sent to his family in March 2017, Ozcerit went to the infirmary and asked to be transferred to the hospital. He was given the answer, “There is a hospital queue for 200 people,” and he was given some painkillers.

But his complaints did not get better. Eventually, blood started coming out of his anus. Despite this, he was not sent to the hospital. He was taken to the hospital in July 2017 when he passed out while in his ward, but it was too late for him. Ozcerit developed colon cancer due to the intense stress and ill-treatment he experienced in prison. Moreover, the cancer has advanced and metastasized to the liver and lungs.

Ozcerit is admitted to the prison ward of the hospital. He was alone. He was formula fed at that time. He is only allowed to see his wife once a week for 15-20 minutes. After he had his first surgery at İzmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital and escaped from the dead, the doctors told him that he had 5 months to live. Despite this, 2 committee reports are prepared and it is stated in these reports that he may stay in prison. Doctors in the delegation cannot even report “cannot stay in prison” because they are afraid. However, according to the Penal Execution Law No. 5275, the sentences of sick detainees should be postponed until the detainees recover.

Ozcerit was released on 20 September 2017 after intense pressure after being on the social media agenda. His body, which is tired due to late diagnosis and advanced disease, does not respond to treatment and he died on February 12, 2018. Everyone got to know the Ozcerit family better with these photographs they took during he stayed in hospital. Their children, whose smiles are not missing to cheer their fathers on, are now bowed down.

His son, SinanOzcerit, describes his father’s experiences to MP Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu as follows:

“They picked the shreds of our home But found nothing. They took some children’s books. They took my father away. We looked for my dad for 3 days. No institution responded to us. 3 days later we found my father and brought him clean laundry. The conditions of his detention were terrible. They left him in his underwear. He was handcuffed. When they asked for water, they said, ‘There is not even water for you’. They beat and tortured my father, there is a report of assault. There were 20 people living in a 4-person place. They slept alternately for 3-4 hours. There wasn’t even a place to sleep. He suffered from pain for a month in prison and all they did was take him to the infirmary every 5-6 days, give him painkillers, and send him back as if it were a blessing.”

What happened to the Ozcerit family was not limited to this heartbreaking death. Even those who supported them and greeted them were disturbed. On the day of the funeral, the police made trouble. One of their neighbors complained about the family to the police, saying they were uncomfortable with the ‘funeral home crowd’. A team of police came to the house and disturbed them in their most painful days.

In May 2019, his wife Esra Ozcerit and daughter Senanur Ozcerit were detained in their home in Sakarya one morning. His wife was accused of transporting relatives and family friends by car. His daughter, on the other hand, was accused of inviting her friends from the university to dinner. Due to the reactions, Esra Ozcerit was released on the same day after her statement was taken, and Senanur was released three days later on condition of judicial control.

Every step of the Özcerit family is still shadowed. With whom they communicate and with whom they are in contact are monitored. Ozceritler, whose phones and social media accounts are kept under surveillance as well as physical police pursuits, is one of the most concrete proofs of the actual oppression and persecution in Turkey. Ahmet Turan Ozcerit’s letter from prison to his son Sinan, his poems, and the shoes and T-shirts he used in prison were recorded in the inventory of the Tenkil Museum as a sign of this persecution.

In her letter, Ozcerit advises her son: “Accept everyone with their own values and set aside your prejudices. Of course, let your values and actions be consistent. Let justice and truth be your first priority, and making no concessions on these issues is a difficult road, but the real gain is here.”

Name: Ahmet Turan Ozcerit
Age:  49*
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Name of Spouse: Esra Ozcerit
Name of Children : Had 4 children SenanurOzcerit, Sinan Ozcerit…
Educational Status-School-Graduation Date: Bachelor’s Degree: Gazi University computer engineering (1994-1999)

Master and PhD: The University of Sussex – (Ph.D.Computer Engineering) 1986-1990

Professional Achievements and History:
He completed his master’s and doctorate at the University of Sussex in the UK on a YOK scholarship.

He acted as a referee in TÜBİTAK projects.

He was a faculty member at Sakarya University for 15 years.

He has written 2 books and dozens of articles.

Books and Works:
Introduction to ATM Computer Networks*

8051 Microcontroller Applications*

Institution-Information About the Institution-The Achievements of the Institution:
Sakarya University Department of Computer Engineering

The Decree-Law and Its Date:
Expelled on September 1, 2016 with the Decree-Law No. 672

City of Detention: Sakarya

Duration of Detention: 11 days

Violations of Rights During the Detention Process:
Ill-treatment, physical and psychological torture (Torture has been proven by batter report)

15 people staying together in a 2-person detention room, contrary to humane living conditions

State of Health in Detention:
The first stage of cancer begins in prison. Until the 4th stage, he is kept in prison with the reports of the committee and timely treatment is prevented.