HUMAN RIGHTS

Latest News

• Swedish MEP Malin Björk met with the CPT on Öcalan 

  Malin Björk said the CPT has informed her that they are in contact with Turkey on the issue of isolation and that they could, however, not reveal the content of the talks.
• Prisoners on hunger strike: Whatever the price, we will continue! 

  "A life should be free. We are not interested in any way of life except an honorable and free life.”
• 138 political prisoners on hunger strike in Patnos 

  More prisoners are joining the hunger strike resistance against the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan.
• Lawyer Uysal: No answer from international institutions on Imralı 

  Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan has been in isolation in Imralı Prison for 20 years. The Turkish state has tried to justify isolation and the inhuman and degrading treatment of Öcalan under the so called ‘Imralı Execution Regime’.
• Family of Imralı prisoner Aktaş: End isolation and talk peace 

  Family of Veysi Aktaş, one of the prisoners in Imralı, said that they were worried as they have no news about him and said that they wanted isolation to be removed immediately and the hunger strike to grow.
• HDP: AKP remains indifferent to the demand of hunger strikers 

  The AKP Government remains indifferent to this rightful and legal demand that invites Turkey to comply with its laws and international conventions to which it is a signatory.
• Constitutional Court: Freedom of communication violated in Imrali 

  The Constitutional Court convened to assess an appeal by Veysi Aktas, who is currently imprisoned in the Imrali island. The court ruled that “freedom of communication has been violated”.
• Prisoner Şeker: On hunger strike until isolation is lifted 

  Political prisoner Şevket Şeker who is on hunger strike stated that no vitamins are given to prisoners on hunger strike, especially the important B1.
• Repression on prisoners on hunger strike increased 

  While the ban on the prisoners' letter continues, the deposit of the money into the account of the prisoners is also prevented by the prison administration.
• Death on workplace increased in Turkey 

  Every day 5 workers died in Turkey for work-related accidents.
• Prisoners on hunger strike in Bandirma attacked 

  Political prisoners on hunger strikes in the Bandirma Type T Closed Prison No.1 were attacked by the prison guards.
• Appeal for family visit to Imralı rejected again 

  The request of the families of the Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and the other three prisoners on Imralı to visit their relatives was again rejected.
• 331 prisoners on indefinite non-alternating hunger strikes 

  Acording to Lawyers for Freedom Association (OHD) data, indefinite non-alternating hunger strikes have been launched in 66 prisons since December 16. Their list includes names of 331 prisoners.
• HDP report on Turkey’s prisons 

  The number of detainees and convicts in Turkey has doubled in the last 10 years and the number of prisons has increased by almost half.
• PKK and PAJK prisoners to go on hunger strike in all prisons 

  PKK and PAJK prisoners announced that they will be going on a hunger strike on March 1 in all prisons until the isolation is broken. The prisoners said, “Lend your voice to our rising resistance, let’s tear down fascism.”
• 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.