HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• Saturday Mothers met for 726th time in Istanbul  

  The Saturday Mothers, who have been demanding truth and justice for their relatives and friends who disappeared while in State forces’ custody met for the 726th time in Istanbul.
• Prisoners’ radios confiscated in Van 

  Prisoners in the Van Type T Closed Prison have had their radios confiscated.
• Hunger strikers placed in solitary cells 

  6 female prisoners on hunger strike in the Bayburt Type M Closed Prison have been placed in solitary confinement. Suleyman Benzer is also placed in a cell in Duzce.
• 317 prisoners on indefinite non-alternating hunger strikes 

  317 prisonershave been on indefinite non-alternating hunger strikes, which first started on December 16 demanding an end to the isolation in Imrali and the freedom of Ocalan.
• Hunger Strikes Monitoring Delegation visited Bakırköy Prison 

  Six political women prisoners are on hunger strike in Bakırköy Women Prison.
• "If the silence continues, we will go on hunger strike too" 

  Simaperi Akyildiz, mother of imprisoned hunger striker Edip Akyildiz, said: “We will prevail, if Kurds rise up.” Akyildiz said the families will go on hunger strikes if the government and the Parliament remain silent.
• A new initiative against isolation launched by HDK 

  The first things members of the ‘Leyla Güven is right, Isolation must be lifted Initiative’ will do is going to visit the HDP Hakkari MP at her house in Amed. Leyla Güven has been on hunger strike for 104 days.
• KDP and MIT up to new tricks in Southern Kurdistan  

  Following the Sheladize serhildan, the KDP and the Turkish state have set to motion a plan to form special counter units to pit the PKK and the people of Southern Kurdistan against each other.
• “Public authorities should take action before loss of life" 

  IHD Istanbul Chapter stated that public authorities should take action before any loss of life occurs in the hunger strikes.
• Saturday Mothers met for the 725th week in Istanbul 

  Despite the police blockade, the action took place and was joined this week by members of the International Peace Delegation Ogmundur Jonasson and Beverly Ann Keene.
• German human rights organizations: CPT must go to Imralı urgently 

  Prominent human rights organizations in Germany have called on the Federal Government to pressure the Erdogan regime to end the isolation against Ocalan.
• Open letter to Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the CoE 

  The signatories urged Jagland to take urgent and concrete steps to insist and ensure that Turkey complies with the 'Nelson Mandela Rules' and lift solitary confinement on Mr. Öcalan and all political prisoners.
• Prisoner Mehmet Gok died in prison 

  Gök had been in prison since 1995.
• Human Rights Association released report on Prisons 

  The Human Rights Association warned that HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven has reached a critical stage and her life is seriously in danger.
• Saturday Mothers met in Istanbul for the 724th week 

  The Saturday Mothers met for the 724th time in Istanbul despite police obstruction.
• 788th appeal to visit Öcalan in Imralı rejected 

  The 788th appeal by Öcalan’s lawyers to visit their client was again rejected.
• ECHR issues scandalous verdict for Cizre 

  The ECHR has rejected the appeal in the name of Orhan Tunc regarding the atrocities in the Cizre basements where severe war crimes were committed by Turkish state forces.
• Prisoner on hunger strike placed in solitary cell 

  Adem Arslan can no longer take care of his own needs alone, and is not being given the vitamin B he needs.
• IHD published 2018 Human Rights Violations Report 

  The IHD underlined the political genocide unleashed by the government against the HDP and urged a return to negotiation to ensure the end of conflict.
• Resistance grows: 291 prisoners on hunger strike 

  Hunger strikes against the isolation continues to grow in prisons. The number of prisoners on hunger strikes has risen to 291.
• Families of prisoners on hunger strike demand end of isolation 

  Calling on the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and human rights organizations to take a first step, Kur said political parties, non-governmental organizations, democracy and all segments of the law should act before it is
• Prisoners in Germany go on solidarity hunger strike 

  Prisoners in Germany have launched a series of protests in solidarity with the hunger strikes demanding an end to the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Ocalan. The prisoners also held a 3-day hunger strike.
• Saturday Mothers demand justice for the 723th week 

  Saturday Mothers keep asking for justice and truth about their relatives disappeared while in state forces' custody.
• Initiative Against Isolation warns the government 

  Spokespersons from the Initiative for Freedom Against Isolation have stated that police brutality against protests in support of the hunger strikes has increased and warned the government.
• Political prisoner Mehmet Yildirim attacked by guards 

  Mehmet Yildirim, a political prisoner held in Type F Number 2 prison in Tekirdag was beaten by Turkish prison guards.