Semîh Ozakça

43 rights advocates including İHD İstanbul Branch executives, who attempted to stage a demonstration for educators Gülmen and Özakça, who have been on hunger strike, have been in custody for two days.

The European Court of Human Rights has rejected the request of Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça that “the Court order the Government to release the applicants” deciding that the “applicants’ detention at the Sincan Hospital did not pose a real and imminent risk of irreparable harm to the life or limb of the applicants”.

The short film, “She is alive” tells the story of Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça who are on a hunger strike being woken up in prison every night by guardians to check whether they are still alive.

Ankara Governorship has banned all activities for a month due to the demonstrations held in protest of arrest of educators Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça.

2 Attorneys of Gülmen and Özakça who are on a hunger strike have been released after testifying before prosecutor’s office after four days in detention.

Gülmen and Özakça who have been on a hunger strike for 141 days demanding reinstatement to their jobs after being discharged through a statutory decree have undergone a medical examination upon demand by the ECtHR.

Two lawyers representing educators Gülmen and Özakça who have been on hunger strike have been detained and taken to Ankara Security Anti-Terror Bureau, and that Gülmen’s sister was detained as well on Yüksel Street and released following her statement.

Yüksel Street protesters Esra Özakça, Acun Karadağ, Nazife Onay, Nazan Bozkurt have been sentenced to house confinement. The verdict was rendered upon prosecutor’s office’s objection to decision of release on probation.

Waking arrested academic Nuriye Gülmen who is now on the 126th day of her hunger strike from her sleep at night, guardians in prison say” We came to check on you whether you are dead or alive”.

Discharged teacher Onay has attempted to stage a protest with a banner reading “May Nuriye, Semih be reinstated to their jobs”, has been battered and detained by private security guards.

Ankara Governorship has put a ban on singing anthems and songs loudly as well as chanting slogans and making demonstration and press statements on Yüksel Street and the surrounding area where the protests and demonstrations continue against dismissals through statutory decrees and in solidarity with Özakça and Gülmen on hunger strike.

HDP Co-Chair Demirtaş has written a letter from prison for Gülmen and Özakça, asking them to end the hunger strike.

Interior Minister Soylu has threatened 111 artists, activists and writers, who placed a petition on four newspapers on 111th day of the hunger strikes, and the newspapers that published it: “Do you realized what you signed? And what about those who publish it to encourage terror groups?”

111 figures including Ayşe Kulin, Ahmet Ümit, Ferzan Özpetek, Hayko Çepkin, Murathan Mungan, Müjde Ar, Sıla Gençoğlu, Zuhal Olcay have signed the petition in support of Gülmen and Özakça.

Secretary General of the Council of Europe Jagland has stated that he will call PM Yıldırım and ask him for release of Gülmen and Özakça who have been on hunger strike for 111 days.

Ankara Bar has stated that Özakça is very exhausted and he has difficulty in speaking and that Gülmen couldn’t come to visiting area.

Koyuncu from Ankara Chamber of Medicine has expressed concerns about lives of Gülmen and Özakça on the 100th day of their hunger strike and added that the dismissals of academics had negative impacts in the whole society.

Academic Gülmen and teacher Özakça are on the 100th day of their hunger strike, which they have gone on to be reinstated to their jobs from which they were discharged through a statutory decree.

UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has sent an urgent letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça who have been on hunger strike for 99 days.

Roberto Saviano, a writer from Italy has sent a solidarity message for academic Nuriye Gülmen and and teacher Semih Özakça who are on a hunger strike to be reinstated to their jobs.