Convicted Vegan Osman Evcan on Parliamentary Agenda

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Şenal Sarıhan, Ankara MP of People’s Republican Party (CHP) has brought up the hunger strike of convicted vegan Osman Evcan imprisoned in Kandıra No 1 F-type Prison to Parliament’s agenda, which he had started due to not being served food in compliance to his dietary habits.

In the parliamentary question submitted to the response of Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ, Sarıhan has reminded that Evcan, who had been on hunger strike since November 10, has now come to a critical stage and that his cellmate, Hasan Çınar, had also been on hunger strike for 14 days to support his friend.

In the parliamentary question with reference to the articles of the constitution, European Convention on Human Rights and decisions of United Nations and European Council, it has been emphasized that the Turkish Criminal Law provides prison sentence from two to four years for those who hinder the nourishment of the convicted and arrested.  

Sarıhan has addressed the Justice Minister following questions:

* How many vegan persons are there in penal institutions and detention houses?

* What is the reason for not serving these persons nutrition in compliance with their dietary habits?

* What actions are being taken for convicted vegan Osman Evcan in Kandıra No 1 F-type Prison to stop his hunger strike or can receive nutrition in compliance with his dietary habits?

* Are there any administrative or punitive actions being taken for administrators responsible for measures and actions which have put Osman Evcan’s and Hasan Çınar’s lives at risk? Or is there going to be any?

Evcan had resisted, regulations had changed

After being sentenced to life imprisonment in 1992, Evcan had gained the right to vegan-vegetarian nutrition for all vegan-vegetarian imprisoners in the wake of his 43-day hunger strike in 2011.

On March 28, 2012 “Amendment Regulations on Food Law Regulation for Convicted, Imprisoned and Penal Institution Employees” had been published on official journal. Thus the paragraph in the earlier regulation implying “sick convicted and imprisoned receive nutrition determined by the institution’s doctor” was changed as “sick convicted and imprisoned receive nutrition determined by dietitians or doctors. Demands of convicted with special dietary habits due to their religion or vegan and vegetarian dietary habits are met under the condition of being limited to the amount of nutrition”.

Evcan had carried his battle to the next level in his 33-day hunger strike and gained the right as he demanded in addition to preparing vegan-vegetarian meals with fresh and seasonal vegetables, that also obstacles before importing vegan food should be removed.

Evcan, imprisoned in Kandıra No 1 F-type Prison has been on hunger strike since November 10,  against the arbitrary restraint of his acquired rights. (ÇT/DG)