Prisoner in Kırşehir High Security Prison goes on hunger strike

Necdet Öztürk, a prisoner in Kırşehir High Security Prison, has gone on hunger strike.

Necdet Öztürk (35), a prisoner in Kırşehir High Security Prison (YGC), has gone on hunger strike. Öztürk was deported from Antep L Type Prison to Kırşehir High Security Prison (YGC) on 22 April, and was put in solitary confinement.

Öztürk was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment. He wrote many petitions saying that he wanted to go to the ward where political prisoners were held. His demands were rejected with the claim that there were "no empty cell in the ward where political prisoners are located". The prisoner said in a phone call with his family that he went on hunger strike as of Wednesday. The prison administration put pressure on Öztürk to "move to the common ward", but he refused.

He said that he will continue his hunger strike until his demands are met, and called for public awareness.

His brother Ibrahim Öztürk said the following about what happened: "I went to visit him last week. Even though he had political friends there, they put him in a separate block alone. They did not respond to my brother's petitions to be transferred with his friends. He went on hunger strike because his demands were not accepted. So I called the prison administration. The official I spoke to confirmed that my brother had gone on hunger strike and told me that there was a cell in the common ward for the time being. They told this to my brother and he did not accept it. How can he accept this? My brother is a political prisoner and for this he received an aggravated life sentence. We want my brother to move with his friends. We are also worried about my brother's condition. His demands should be accepted as soon as possible. We want legal organizations and human rights defenders to follow up on the issue until his demands are accepted."