Ismail Ulker, a 42-year-old former police chief who has been imprisoned for 23 months over alleged links to the Gulen movement as part of the Turkish government’s massive post-coup witch hunt, passed away on Sunday because of belated cancer treatment.

According to a report by online news outlet TR724, Ulker had neither been released from prison nor been allowed to receive treatment for a long time despite a report provided by a board of doctors about his deteriorating health and urgent need for treatment. Ulker was just allowed by Turkish authorities to receive treatment last month; however, it was too late, and he died at the hospital on Sunday, making Ulker’s children orphans on Fathers’ Day.

Ulker was arrested and sent to prison in July 2016. He had fallen ill in prison and was diagnosed with colon cancer. Despite his serious condition, he was not released from jail and treatment was also blocked by the authorities. After a number of applications, he was finally allowed to receive treatment a month ago.

The Stockholm Center for Freedom (SCF) reported in one of its studies titled “Suspicious Deaths and Suicides In Turkey” that there has been an increase in the number of suspicious deaths in Turkey, most in jails and detention centres, where torture and ill-treatment are being practised. In the majority of cases, authorities concluded they were suicides without any effective, independent investigation.

Former Mazlum-Der President and HDP Deputy candidate Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, who brought this situation to the agenda on his Twitter account, said, “Despite the reports of the health board, the former Chief of Police, who was not released for a long time and could not receive treatment, passed away. How many is this..? Prisons have also become places of persecution.” said.

RESOURCES:

Jailed Turkish police chief Ülker dies on Fathers’ Day due to belated cancer treatment

Uzun süre tedavisine izin verilmeyen 3. sınıf emniyet müdürü hayatını kaybetti | GriHat (grihat3.com)
Cezaevi mi eza evi mi? – YENİ ASYA (yeniasya.com.tr)

https://grihat3.com/tedavisine-izin-verilmeyen-3-sinif-emniyet-muduru-hayatini-kaybetti/
The 3rd class police chief, who was not allowed to be treated for a long time, passed away.| GriHat (grihat3.com)
Cezaevi mi eza evi mi? – YENİ ASYA (yeniasya.com.tr)