DBP calls for urgent action on hunger strikes in prisons

DBP issued an urgent call for action to its provincial and district branches on the prison hunger strike that has entered its 54th day.

Democratic Regions' Party (DBP) issued an urgent call for action on the indefinite-irreversible hunger strike launched in prisons with the demand of an end to the isolation of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and rights violations in prisons and has entered its 54th day at Şakran Prison.

In its statement, DBP said "With its security measures and policies of war pursued over the past two years, the AKP government has been imposing a surrender on the society. With the policies it calls 'security measures', the government has been trying to neutralize opposition groups and cow them into submission.

With trenches, barricades and sieges executed through soldiers, police and special operations members, the government is targeting the society's will by transforming the country to an open-air prison and intervening the entire living space of the society, particularly after the July 15 coup attempt.

Prisoners are experiencing pressure, torture, mistreatment and numerous rights violations that stain human dignity as prison conditions have worsened even more in the aftermath of the July 15 coup attempt. The AKP government that uses prisons as a tool of intimidating the opposition has aggravated prison conditions and perpetrates humiliating practices after July 15 in order to eliminate the will of prisoners.

Against the AKP policies imposed on the society inside and outside prisons to strip the people of their honor, Kurdish prisoners and their allies are giving a great struggle of will with their bodies, their only weapon against the AKP's humiliating and dirty pro-war policies. Against the policies imposing surrender, Kurdish prisoners from Mazlums and Kemals that led the prison resistance in Amed dungeon, have always done their part with regard to putting up the most honorable and glorious resistance under all circumstances.

The Kurdish prisoners and politicians held captive have been on a hunger strike for 54 days to demand an end to the isolation of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the mistreatment of prisoners, and the improvement of prison conditions. The hunger strikes are enhanced with the participation of dozens of prisoners every day. The prisoners at Şakran Prison that launched the hunger strike first are beyond the life-threatening stage. Many of these prisoners' health is at risk.

Unintended consequences may occur unless prison hunger strikes are embraced and a mass resistance is developed against the AKP's dirty policies to pressure it to take steps backward. Our provincial and district branches should immediately organise and carry out democratic demonstrations and protests before unintended consequences take place in the hunger strike resistance. These demonstrations and protests should spread and continue until the prisoners' demands are met and the hunger strike comes to an end."