French doctor: Concern growing for Strasbourg activists

The specialist in the medical team said that they cannot do anything political because of their profession but added that, in any case, they will convey the information and demand reiterated by the activists to their superiors.

Fourteen Kurdish activists are continuing their hunger strike in Strasbourg demanding the end of isolation of Abdullah Öcalan.

The 14 hunger strikers have reached day 96 of their fast and were visited by SAMU-67, one of the Bas-Rhin provincial health care organizations to which Strasbourg is connected.

The medical team, including a specialist doctor and reanimation staff, met with the activists for about two hours and tried to examine them. During the visit, the activists’ doctor, Fahrettin Gülşen was also present.

Activists only want their demand to be heard

The French medical team that visited activists who are confined to their beds, assessed their health situation. However, activists said that an additional health screening was meaningless as they would refuse treatment.

The hunger strikers reiterated that they are fasting in order to get their demand heard and said that the most important thing doctors could do for them is to “report their demand to the competent authorities.”

Doctors: We will convey demands to our superiors

The specialist in the medical team said that they cannot do anything political because of their profession but added that, in any case, they will convey the information and demand reiterated by the activists to their superiors.

After the visit one of the doctors in the medical team talked to ANF asking to remain anonymous. He stressed the importance of doctor Fahrettin Gülşen’s constant presence and added that they understood the activists’ request to not be treated.

The French physician said that they had come to check the activists before, and that this time they found them very weak. He added that after 96 of fast the activists’ situation is really worrying.

The French physicians said that the lack of phosphorus, potassium and sodium in the activists affected their health as does weight loss.

The French doctors said that in case of an emergency or any request from the hunger strikers they will immediately come into play.

SOS Medecin doctors are also coming to visit the hunger strikers on a regular basis.

Visitors continue to support the hunger strikers

The indefinite hunger strike in Strasbourg to protest the isolation against the Kurdish People's Leader was launched on 17 December 2018.

The activists on hunger strike are: Dilek Öcalan, Gülistan İke, Nurgül Başaran, Yüksel Koç, Mustafa Sarıkaya, Mehmet Nimet Sevim, Agit Ural, Ayvaz Ece, Ramazan İmir, Kardo Bokani, Mohamad Ghaderi, Deniz Sürgüt, Kerem Solhan and Ekrem Yapıcı.

The hunger strikers are receiving visits from all over Europe on a daily basis.