Hunger Striker Deputies Spend Night At Parliament

Turkey’s pro-Kurdish deputies from People’s Democratic Party, Peace and Democracy Party spent the night at the parliament hall within a hunger strike to protest the recent rejection of release request for jailed deputies.

The hunger strike initiated by deputies Sebahat Tuncel, Ertuğrul Kürkçü, Levent Tüzel, Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Demir Çelik and Özdal Üçer turned its day 2. 

Following a parliamentary session over the state budget for 2014, hunger striker deputies did not immediately leave the parliament hall. 

Instead, they re-positioned themselves in the hall with People’s Democratic Party co-chair Kürkçü sitting on the seat of Parliament Chairman. 

Initially, deputies planned to spend the night at the parliament hall, even though Tuncel said tipstaff would also work overnight if they stayed. 

Hunger striker deputies spent the night at the parliament hall in the end. 

“Then they spread rumors that we are having kebab parties,” said Sırrı Süreyya Önder in various sources.  Kürkçü, on the other hand, made a statement saying that their hunger strike will resume until the end of state budget sessions. 

* Photo credit: Evrim Aydın / Ankara / AA