Kurdish mother campaigns for release of disabled children

A Kurdish mother from Turkey's southeastern province of Batman, whose two disabled sons are imprisoned on terror charges, is desperately fighting for their release but is increasingly losing hope as her attempts come to nothing, Mezopotamya Agency reported.

Mother Rahime's two sons, Firat (24) and Emrah (30) Nebioglu, were detained at different times in Batman. Although they are 94% and 92% disabled respectively, they are held in detention and they have great difficulty surviving, certified by state hospital reports.

"They are fighting for their lives. Give my sons back. Enough is enough," their mother said.

According to the Mezopotamya, Firat, the younger brother, was sentenced in 2015 to more than 11 years in prison for "possession of a firearm and membership in a terrorist organization." After suffering a stroke, he had renal insufficiency and lives on dialysis. He also has problems with vision and hearing.

Despite a report from Batman State Hospital which said “he can not stay in prison,” Turkish Forensic Medicine Institute refused to give the necessary approval for his release.

The other brother Emrah also had a stroke following a bullet he received in the head during the protests against ISIS' attacks against Kobanê in 2014.

Afterwards, a lawsuit was filed against him for "being a member of a terrorist organization" and he was sentenced to over 7 years in prison. He is currently being held in Turkey’s southern coastal province Antalya.

Despite a Batman State Hospital report certifying that he is 94% disabled, ATK also refused him to be discharged. Mezopotamya said he has many problems, including loss of strength, eye shifts, hearing loss, and hypertension.

His mother Rahime Nebioglu, who also previously lost her husband to kidney failure, is now imploring authorities to save her sons.

"My son Firat was intact when he went to prison, but now he is fighting for his life and is on dialysis. This is all due to the arbitrary and lawless actions of the prison administration. They refuse to give him a kidney transplant even though both of his kidneys have failed. Wherever we go, the doors are slammed in our faces," she said.

"I do not want my son to be buried. Give me my son, several members of the family are willing to donate their kidneys," she said.

Mother Rahime said her older son Emrah was also detained despite her illness.

"How can it be that two people with such serious illnesses are still in prison? Put an end to this torture. I call on everyone who has a conscience here. Do not allow funerals to come out of prison," she said.

Rahime Nebioglu calls on authorities to release her disabled children or at least allow one of her sons to receive a kidney transplant.