According to the legislation in Turkey, life imprisonment or aggravated life imprisonment cannot be given to those under the age of 18. However, it was revealed that 17-year-old Zaim Hishman Ali, who was detained and arrested during the attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria, was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment.  

 

According to the news of Yeni Yaşam newspaper; Zaim Hishman Ali was sentenced to "aggravated life imprisonment" 2 months and 11 days before he turned 18. In the news, it was stated that Zaim Hishman Ali was detained during the attacks against Turkey's Til Ebyad on October 13, 2019, brought to Turkey on November 8, 2019, and arrested on November 13, 2019. It was noted that an "aggravated life imprisonment" sentence was given in a single hearing on June 26, 2020, and the sentence was approved by the Court of Appeal on September 23, 2020, and by the Supreme Court of Appeals on February 16, 2022.

 

The news included the following information about Hishman Ali and the lawsuit process: "Hişman Ali is the child of an Arab family from the Sülük Village of Til Ebyad... He speaks a little Kurdish and very little Turkish. His family lives in Kobanê. He is being held in solitary confinement because he is sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment. For the same reason, no one except his immediate family can visit him. In Maybe, Ali's family does not even know that he is in prison in Turkey.

 

PUNISHMENT FOR UNIFORM

 

He joined the YPG after his villages came under YPG control, but he remained in the backward service because he was young. The fact that he was wearing a YPG uniform when he was caught was actually the only reason for the punishment he received... Because there was no armed action in his file, he was even accused of "murder or attempted murder" but was acquitted.

 

Ali was sent to Urfa Prison after detention. After a while, he changed the political ward and moved to the ward where political prisoners were held. After his sentence was confirmed, he was exiled to Antalya Type S Prison. He is currently being held in a single cell in the same prison.

 

Born in 2001, Ali was 17 years old when he was taken into custody; Date of birth is not written as day, month, year in the case file! His trial was carried out at jet speed. Ali stated his exact date of birth in custody and at the prosecutor's office, but it was not recorded. No one was 'obsessed' with this detail at any of the investigation and prosecution stages, and again during the higher judicial process. Because if the date of birth were recorded as day, month and year, it would be revealed that Ali is actually 17 years old.

 

Ali is currently in prison, held in a solitary cell. The information we have received is from the letter written by Burhan Güneş, who was in his cell next to him, to Osman Uludağ... Güneş, so to speak, explained Ali's trial process in detail, from detention until it was approved by the Supreme Court.

 

CASE FILE 9-10 PAGES

 

Güneş also mentioned Ali's case file in his letter; “All trial documents do not exceed 9-10 pages. Even an ordinary person can see the current lawlessness and absurdity when he reads these 9-10 pages." However, no one could see him during the trial stages, including his ex officio appointed 'lawyer'.

 

Güneş also mentions that the lawyer appointed to Ali spoke one sentence throughout the trial, saying "I agree with my client": "The bar association lawyer is just watching the case as a completely show-off and puppet."

 

He also pointed out that Ali did not participate in any armed action and that this was evident from his acquittal on the charges of "murder or attempted murder"... 

 

HE HAS NO CONTACT WITH HIS FAMILY

 

In his letter, Güneş also mentions that those who deposit money to prisoners other than their relatives are accused of 'aiding the organization', emphasizes the difficulties of Zaim Hişman Ali, who has no communication with his family, in maintaining his life in solitary confinement, and requests legal assistance from legal institutions.