İHD: Hunger Strikes That Caused Deaths Should Not be Forgotten

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The Human Rights Association (İHD) has made a press statement on the latest situation regarding hunger strikes in prisons. It has said that the health conditions of some strikers are approaching the critical line.

İHD Central Prisons Commission members Zeynep Ceren Boztoprak, Mehmet Acettin and Muharrem Kuşcan have attended the statement.

"The demands shall be met"

Mehmet Acettin, who spoke first in the meeting, reminded that Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MP Leyla Güven is on the 102nd day of her hunger strike and that more than 300 inmates began hunger strikes after Leyla Güven.

"Of course we want the hunger strikes to end before anybody gets hurt but at the same time, we want the strikers' demands to be granted. We want the demands to be granted, we want the isolation to be lifted," he said.

"Remember the hunger strikes in 2000"

Lawyer Zeynep Ceren Boztoprak, speaking after Acettin, read the press release.

Across Turkey, 321 inmates in 60 prisons are on an indefinite and non-rotating hunger strike, she said.

Boztoprak said the rights violations in prisons has become systematic during the state of emergency period and has continued after the state of emergency was lifted.

Reminding the losses of lives in the hunger strikes in 2000, Boztoprak said, "We are in a period that political parties which are represented in the parliament and which are outside the parliament should raise their voices."

"We expect the bar associations, which have a very important function, to be more active regarding the practices that violate rights," Boztoprak added.

"The law should be implemented"

"There is a rift between the legal status and prison conditions of [Kurdistan Workers' Party/PKK leader] Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held at the İmralı Prison since 1999. He is not allowed to meet with his attorneys and family despite the law. No communications and correspondence are permitted. His medical and daily life conditions are unknown.

"It is known that Abdullah Öcalan has not met with a lawyer since July 27, 2011.

"The law does not change because of people's political situation or because of emotions against people. Within this framework, No 5275 Law on Implementation of Sentences and Security Measures should be implemented for Abdullah Öcalan as it should be implemented for everybody. The request of those are on an indefinite and non-rotating hunger strike is the implementation of the law.

"We call the relevant public authorities to act upon the law before any loss of life or permanent health problems happen. Similarly, we call political parties, bar associations, press institutions and civil society organizations to act in a way that contributes to the solution." (HA/VK)