On April 3, 2025, 15-year-old Sümeyra Gelir passed away in her sleep at her home in Bolu, Turkey. While her death was medically attributed to epilepsy, her family and human rights advocates believe that the overwhelming responsibilities placed on her young shoulders—combined with the emotional trauma of being separated from her mother—played a significant role in her deteriorating health.
Sümeyra’s mother, Melek Gelir, was sentenced to six years and ten months in prison on charges of “membership in a terrorist organisation” for having worked at a private tutoring center that was shut down by emergency decree after the 2016 coup attempt. Melek Gelir’s imprisonment left her children without a mother. As the eldest sibling, Sümeyra assumed the full burden of the household: she became a caregiver to her younger siblings, managed household tasks and tried to continue her education—all under emotional distress.
According to her father, Abdullah Gelir, Sümeyra cried quietly at night, overwhelmed by longing for her mother. She was diagnosed with epilepsy during this period and began receiving psychological counselling. Still, the trauma left deep marks on her well-being. In letters she wrote shortly before her death, she confessed how deeply she missed her mother and how much she was struggling to endure.
Sümeyra’s death is not an isolated case. It symbolizes the broader suffering of hundreds of children in Turkey whose mothers are imprisoned on political or non-violent grounds.
In recent years, numerous similar cases have been reported: children showing signs of trauma after being separated from their mothers; infants born into prison cells and young children experiencing developmental challenges. These tragedies highlight the lack of consideration for children’s best interests in the Turkish judicial system, where incarceration often becomes a form of indirect punishment for innocent family members.
As Rights Defenders Initiative (RDI), we call on the international community, human rights defenders and policymakers to take urgent action and release mothers imprisoned on political or non-violent charges. Prioritise children’s physical, emotional, and social well-being in all judicial decisions. Promote restorative, family-centred justice practices that safeguard the unity of families. Let Sümeyra’s silent cry be the last. No child should suffer the consequences of unjust punishment.
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