Esila Ayık, studentessa di fotografia presso la Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Gand, ancora in prigione nonostante il suo peggioramento delle condizioni di salute per tenere il cartello “Dittatore Erdogan” durante le proteste

Esila Ayık (22) is a university student studying photography in the city of Ghent, Belgium (Royal Academy of Fine Arts). Ayık was detained on April 8 due to holding a banner that read “Dictator Erdoğan” during the Solidarity Stage event held in Kadıköy, and was later arrested.

Esila Ayık is a chronic heart and kidney patient. She has serious issues with the aorta in her heart. Lawyer Ümit Özkan also provided the following information regarding Esila Ayık’s kidney condition:

“There is nephrotic syndrome in her kidney. That is, the body wants to destroy the kidney. When the disease progressed a little, she received chemotherapy in Belgium in December. She uses medication regularly. She takes drugs like those used in organ transplants.”

**Swelling forms in her body**

Ümit Özkan also said that Esila Ayık occasionally develops swelling in her hands, legs, and eyes. Emphasizing that Esila Ayık’s health is not improving, but they are at least trying to keep it stable until she is released from prison, Özkan said: “These illnesses are not conditions that can handle stress. Under stress, the disease tends to progress. The doctor had previously warned about her heart. He emphasized that she must not run, do heavy work, get excited, or experience stress. Otherwise, he said she would have to undergo surgery. Now she is in prison. We are trying to postpone the surgery process. We are working so that she does not reach that point.”

**“A report must be obtained regarding her kidney”**

When Esila Ayık first entered prison, she was unable to access her medications for five days. Lawyer Özkan stated that a heart examination was performed in prison and reports were obtained, adding: “A report must be obtained regarding her kidney. For this, tests will be needed. Because of her special condition, we have to wait a week. Therefore, they will not be able to issue a report without those tests.”

Esila Ayık is staying in a ward with 47 others in Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison and needs a sterilized environment. According to lawyer Özkan, two people in this ward contracted scabies, and the ward was put under quarantine.

Sure sounds like a dictatorship to me. Obviously, I’m not alone given all the anti Erdogan protests.