Four women journalists join hunger strike in Diyarbakır Prison

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Four women journalists in the Diyarbakır Women's Prison have started a hunger strike to draw attention to rights violations in prisons.

Releasing a statement through their attorneys yesterday (September 12), the journalists said they will continue the hunger strike for five days with other prisoners.

Safiye Alağaş, Neşe Toprak, Remziye Temel and Elif Üngür were among the 16 journalists who were arrested in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır in June.

The strike aims to end the following violations:

▶ Camera surveillance of the wards in the prison

▶ Strip search

▶ Ill prisoners not being treated

▶ All social events in the prison are prevented

In their statement, the journalists called for "awareness and solidarity" from the civil society and the public.

Why are they in prison?

On June 8, the police raided several homes and offices of news outlets in the predominantly Kurdish populated province of Diyarbakır. Twenty-two people, including 20 journalists, were detained.

After eight days in detention, a judgeship ruled for the arrest of 16 journalists on "terrorist propaganda" charges, citing their news reports and social media posts as evidence.

During their interrogation, the questions they were asked included what they meant by "Kurdish question" and whether they had received instructions, an attorney of the journalists had told bianet.

The arrests triggered a backlash from journalists and international organizations.

CLICK - Arrested Kurdish journalists not indicted despite two months behind bars 

(AEK/VK)