Hunger Strike Monitoring Coordination in Van says prisoners are subjected to violations of rights

The report on prisons prepared by the Hunger Strike Monitoring and Follow-up Coordination in Van exposed that prisoners on hunger strike were subjected to a number of violations.

The report prepared by the Van Bar Association, the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), the Human Rights Association (IHD), the Van Association for Assistance and Solidarity with the Families of Detainees and Convicts (TUAY-DER), the Van-Hakkari Medical Chamber and the Health and Social Service Workers' Union SES, all members of the Hunger Strike Monitoring and Follow-up Coordination.

According to the report, prisoners on hunger strike in Van F Type, Van High Security, Patnos L Type, Ahlat T Type, Erzurum Oltu T Type, Erzurum Dumlu No. 1 and 2 High Security, Samsun Bafra T Type, Samsun Kavak S Type, Giresun Espiye L Type, Trabzon Beşikdüzü, T Type and Rize Kalkandere L Type prisons are all facing violations of their rights.

The report said that daily health checks were not carried out by the infirmary doctor in some cases and vitamins B1 and B12 were not given to the prisoners.

The report added that because of the hunger strike, the prisoners were given disciplinary punishments. For example, they were "denied cultural and sports activities" and had restrictions on "communication".

Prisoners on hunger strike are subjected to different treatments in different prisons and face disciplinary investigations.

Lawyer Mustafa Özoral said that the prisoners on hunger strike demand freedom for Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the solution to the Kurdish question, and added that isolation is a violation of the right to life.

The lawyer also underlined the demand to allow Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners in Imralı Prison to have lawyers and family visits and to lift the isolation.

Özoral requested the prison administrations to provide health files created by prison doctors, as well as ensure daily health checks, provision of vitamins in line with the demands of the prisoners, and the withdrawal of disciplinary investigations.