The voice of conscience competes with the silence of justice

Mehmet Murat Çalık , Mayor of Beylikdüzü, Istanbul, has severe AML M2 leukemia and lymphoma. He's melting away cell by cell. He's lost 25 kilos since his arrest. His immune system is on the verge of collapse. His mother cries out, "My son is slipping away from me." She's drowning in the despair of not being able to save him. His wife, Zehra Çalık, who has been in the hospital garden for weeks, protests, "We're not living easy. We don't want to experience something irreversible. What are you waiting for his release?" This silence is no longer just silence; it's a cover for an obvious murder.

SO WHY IS HE STILL INSIDE?

Çalık is not detained, nor has he been convicted. He's not guilty, and he doesn't even have an indictment yet. He needs to be released anyway. His right to life, one of his constitutional rights, is being blatantly violated. Yet, the current medical reports and documents in his case file are sufficient grounds for his release. Continuing detention is only legitimate to the extent that it's proportionate and necessary. If a seriously ill person's life is threatened, both the justification and legal basis for detention are eliminated. Under the Code of Criminal Procedure, the judge could order a more humane measure, such as house arrest. But he hasn't. Because for a long time, the issue hasn't been legal, but political.

The "principle of legality" has long since vanished in this country. This principle prevents arbitrariness in sentencing and safeguards individuals against state intervention. But today, this principle has been shattered. The law is a pile of Paleolithic rubble. There are no principles or mechanisms left to protect human life! Justice is determined not by the definition of the crime, the strength of the evidence, or the nature of the punishment, but by who the target is. In the hands of the AKP, the law has become a tool of oppression, a cudgel of revenge. The most fundamental human right, the right to life, is being sacrificed to the pursuit of political vengeance.

Yes, this seems like a legal issue, but it is not.

This is described as a matter of justice, but it is more than that.

This is a crime against humanity. And we are all witnessing this crime together. It is universally accepted that no human right is superior to the right to life. Ignoring this truth is another manifestation of political vengeance and pure evil. Is there even a shred of justice left in a country where some have unlimited freedom to commit crimes, while others are prevented from exercising even the most basic constitutional rights?

Prison is not a treatment facility. Especially when it comes to a fatal disease like AML M2 leukemia, even a single hour, let alone a day, is a death sentence. Leaving the matter at the Forensic Medicine Institution is like laying the blame. Therefore, Mehmet Murat Çalık must be released immediately and transferred to the hematology intensive care unit.

Let's not forget that Article 83 of the Turkish Penal Code clearly states that intentional murder through negligence is a crime. And now, not only decision-makers but also everyone who remains silent are complicit in this crime. To ignore the voice of someone who is clearly, knowingly, on the brink of death is the clearest example of the times we are living through when humanity is being tested. Yet, justice is not obligated to increase suffering, but to protect human dignity. Justice must prioritize life. Because justice exists for the living, not the dead. Justice can only reach those who survive.

I will end my article with a question from Ms. Zehra Çalık: “What are you waiting for for Mehmet Murat Çalık’s release?