Ömer Faruk Birpınar
The life of Muazzez İlmiye Çığ offers a multifaceted story that stretches from Sumerian tablets to prison cells. The project titled “Can Communism Be Cured?” serves as a prime example of dark humor: the logic behind treating thoughts remains entirely unclear. Yet, this failed treatment process has revealed that we live in a society plagued by ignorance and a lack of conscience.
Researcher and writer Muazzez İlmiye Çığ passed away on November 17. Çığ, who was also the founder of the HZI Neuropsychiatry Foundation and Chief Advisor to the Chairman of thePatriotic Party, came to public attention with allegations of medical experiments conducted on political prisoners in Erzurum Military Prison No. 3 following the September 12, 1980, coup.
Ibrahim Aydın, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BirGün Newspaper, recounts:
“The resistance in the prison was quite interesting, actually; I should briefly mention it. After the trial began, things softened for a while because we brought these issues to court, filed criminal complaints. We would make strong objections saying, ‘There’s torture in prison; we can’t defend ourselves in such conditions; we can’t attend court.’ Based on this, they would somewhat ease up on their practices, to be honest. We wanted to live under more humane conditions, but after a certain period, this quickly changed. In particular, they started imposing the uniform policy. The uniform policy was essentially the pinnacle of submission. It was an attempt to transform people into a tool for total submission.
“We rejected this policy completely from the start and refused to wear the uniforms. At one point, they tried to bring us to court in nothing but our underwear. Of course, the court refused to hold hearings under such conditions, so they sent us back to prison. Erzurum winters are brutal, often reaching temperatures of -30 to -35 degrees Celsius. Coincidentally, this happened during the winter, and we tried to resist wearing the uniforms under these harsh conditions. They would throw us into cells for resisting and refusing to wear them. These were special cells designed for this purpose—so small that a person could only crouch. They would fill these cells with water, which would even freeze.
American-Origin Experiment
“Sometimes they would throw us into these cells without any clothing, only giving us a small blanket. We staged a prolonged resistance against this. However, something else happened during this time that I should mention. At one point, as they took us to and from these cells, they started injecting us intensively. Without warning, they would administer five or sixsy ringes at once. Almost everyone who entered these cells was subjected to this. You’d go into the cell, stay for a week, and then come out, having received ten injections on your way in and another ten on your way out. A week later, the same thing would happen again.
“This wave of injections went on for some time. Meanwhile, unfamiliar figures appeared, watching us from the towers during yard time. These practices lasted for several months. I counted—52 injections were administered to me. Strangely, I felt no effects. Later, we investigated and found out what this was about.
“They were conducting an experiment on political prisoners. Specifically, it was an American-origin project that began with the premise, ‘Communism is a disease, and therefore it can be treated.’ In Turkey, this project was being conducted by Turan İtil to ‘cure’ communists. We filed numerous criminal complaints about this. Later, they took us to hospitals, conducted examinations, and ran tests. Nothing conclusive came out of these investigations. It seems the medication they used was ineffective—perhaps communism wasn’t curable after all. Almost everyone involved in resistance, those who ended up in thecells and refused to wear the uniforms, was subjected to these injections.”
Muazzez İlmiye Çığ’s life offers a multidimensional story that stretches from Sumerian tablets to prison cells. This narrative exposes the dark side of human history and the abuse of power. It compels us to question how well we have learned from the mistakes of the past. In a period when power was misused, and individual dignity was disregarded, similar practices emerged. The “Can Communism Be Cured?” project is almost a case of dark humor: it remains unclear how they intended to cure thoughts. The experiments conducted under the guise of curing communism reveal how social engineering and totalitarian mindsets can reach irrational extremes. Still, this failed “treatment” process demonstrates that we live in a society afflicted by ignorance and a lack of conscience.
Science, which should be a tool for the betterment of society, was clearly turned into an ideological weapon here. Viewing communism as a disease is problematic both ethically and scientifically. Attempting to change people’s thoughts with injections is fundamentally opposed to the core values of science and human rights.
Recalling and criticizing these events is not merely a judgment of the past but a warning fortoday and the future. Whether in science or politics, any practice that strays from humanity is destined to fail in the long run. People are valuable for their thoughts, beliefs, and identities.
Muazzez İlmiye Çığ’s life story, intertwined with the dark moments of history and the misuse of science, stands as a testimony to the enduring resilience of human dignity. It reminds us of the critical importance of learning from the mistakes of the past and ensuring that science serves humanity rather than oppressing it.
Her legacy calls upon us to uphold ethical standards in all fields of life and to remain vigilant against any form of oppression disguised as progress or innovation. In doing so, we affirm that the worth of individuals lies not in their compliance with power structures but in their capacity for thought, belief, and self-expression.