HDP Co-chair Pervin Buldan visited Hakkari MP Leyla Guven who was released from the Diyarbakir Prison in her home where she continues her hunger strike. Buldan spoke to the press after the meeting and said Leyla Guven said she will continue her hunger strike. 

“SHE IS STRONG, HER MORALE IS HIGH”

Buldan said the following:

“Leyla Guven was released just now. We brought her home. We just had a brief meeting with her, and I'd like to relay her messages. She thanks everybody who has shown solidarity in the 79 days of her hunger strike. She said she received many letters of solidarity from the country and abroad and that these messages gave her strength. She said she is strong and her morale is high. She also said the hunger strikes in prisons and her own hunger strike will continue because their demand hasn't been met yet. 
Leyla Guven’s demand was an end to the isolation imposed upon Mr. Ocalan. She said her decision can change only after the demand to have Mr. Ocalan regularly meet with his lawyers and family is taken into account and these meetings start. Leyla Guven’s hunger strike continues, she will continue in her home.”

Buldan answered questions from the press as well:

-Have you had meetings with state officials to end the isolation imposed upon Ocalan and to have a calendar of meetings with lawyers and family? Is there such a process in progress?

We don’t need to hold meetings, they are aware of the situation. There are hunger strikes in progress in all prisons. Leyla Guven is also part of this. There is a mechanism in place that is aware of everything. We don’t need to have separate meetings, decisions should be made to take steps immediately. There is nothing else to say.

-How did Leyla Guven take the ruling for her release?

She said, “I am now on the outside, but my spirit, body and spirituality have been left in there.” She said she left her friends in prison, where many are being held without a crime. It was an emotional moment, to be frank. Leaving people inside to go out was hard for her but there is the ruling for her release. This, legally speaking, should have come much earlier. But this issue is not about the law. She was imprisoned on political grounds, so this release should not be endowed with too much significance. What is important is to end all injustice in all prisons, and that there are regular meetings with Mr. Ocalan.