'Hunger-Striking Prisoners' Rights are Violated'

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Batman MP, Spokesperson of the party's Law and Human Rights Commission and Central Executive Council Member Ayşe Acar Başaran has made a statement about the hunger strikes in prisons.

Underpinning that maltreatment against hunger strikers continues, Başaran gave information on the rights violations in several prisons.

Leyla Güven on 110th day of the hunger strike

HDP Hakkari MP and Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-Chair Leyla Güven began a hunger strike on November 8, 2018, demanding the isolation on the Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan.

To this day, politicians, activists, and more than 330 prisoners began a hunger strike, joining Leyla Güven, who is on the 110th day of her hunger strike.

HDP Diyarbakır MPs Dersim Dağ, Bilal Özgezer, İsmet Yıldız, Salih Canseven, Salih Tekin, Sevican Yaşar announced on March 1 that they began an indefinite and non-rotating hunger strike, repeating Leyla Güven's demands.

Başaran told about the rights violations in the following prisons:

Van Type-F Prison

"Medical conditions of Cihan Temur and Şahin Öncü, who have been on a hunger strike since December 6, 2018, are getting worse.

Hunger strikers' conversation rights are completely removed, their access to newspapers are restricted, social events are restricted, their radios are confiscated."

Tokat Prison

"It was determined that disciplinary investigations have been launched against the hunger-striking inmates, suspensions from events have been issued, Yeni Yaşam newspaper has not been delivered for a month."

Kırıkkale Type-F Prison

"Fruit juice and vitamin B is not given to the inmates who began a hunger strike on December 26, 2018. In the canteen, fruit juices and fruit teas that the hunger-striking inmates can consume are found either in very small quantities or cannot be found.

"On February 12, 2019, all the radios in the wars were confiscated by the administration, disrupting the inmates' right to be informed about the world outside.

"Along with disciplinary investigations, hunger-striking inmates' right to attend conversations and events are being blocked."

Kayseri No. 2 Type-F Prison

"Five inmates have been on a hunger strike since January 5. Weight loss, lassitude, headache, difficulties in concentration is seen in the hunger-strikers.

"A disciplinary investigation has been launched against those who began a hunger strike and they were suspended from activities.

Bayburt Prison

"Inmates who have been on a hunger strike since January 5, 2019, are not given vitamin B, they are held in solitary cells for specific periods."

Eskişehir Type-H Prison

"Three women who have been on a hunger strike since December 26, 2018, are facing problems such as headache, lassitude, stomach cramps, sensitivity to sound.

"Not any step has been taken about the petitions that the inmates wrote, demanding the blood and urine tests that were suggested by the Medical Chamber doctors be conducted.

"Inmates who are continuing hunger strikes are also facing health problems because of dirty water." (AS/VK)