Co-chair of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP for Hakkari, Leyla Guven is on the 76th day of an indefinite and non-alternate hunger strike to protest the aggravated isolation imposed on the Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Other political prisoners in Turkey North Kurdistan are also exercising an indefinite and non-alternate hunger strike for the 38th day. At least 250 political prisoners, activists in Erbil, Strasburg, the UK, Canada, the Netherlands and Germany have launched a similar strike with the same demand.  

HDP MP for Amed (Diyarbakır), Musa Farisogullari spoke to ANF regarding the hunger strike campaign launched against the isolation of the Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, led by Leyla Guven.

‘Guven’s health is deteriorating’

Farisogullari emphasized that Guven’s health is deteriorating and continued: “Leyla Guven’s hunger strike is on the 76th day and her health condition is worsening. Leyla Guven has lost 10 kilos and is not able to drink water easily. She has lost a lot of energy, yet she is continuing with her hunger strike in a resilient spirit. The AKP, the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), the Europen Court of Human Rights and organizations for justice throughout the world are still silent. This silence cannot be accepted. Leyla Guven and other prisoners have launched the hunger strike campaign to break the silence of the public opinion over Ocalan’s isolation.”

‘They intend to completely isolate Ocalan from the society’

Farisogullari pointed out to the AKP’s insistence to extend Ocalan’s isolation, and said: “The ongoing isolation in Imrali prison is an obstacle before Ocalan’s ideas, and they attempt to prevent Ocalan’s thoughts from reaching the society. They intend to completely isolate Ocalan from the society, and the State has restricted the isolation. The silence of the international community with respect to Ocalan’s condition is the extension of the international conspiracy, and the fascist regime of the AKP and MHP is encouraged by the CPT and ECHR to aggravate the isolation even further. In order to end the isolation, Leyla Guven is on the 76th day, member of HDP council Nasır Yagiz in Erbil is on the 65th day of indefinite and irreversible hunger strike. Likewise, the hunger strike in Strasburg continues on the 36th day. According to our information from Erbil, Nasir Yagiz is also in a critical health state. The demands of our friends are clearly visible and legitimate, the isolation forced on Ocalan must immediately end.”

‘The State is executing a special warfare method’

With respect to the meeting between the Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan and his brother, Mehmet Ocalan, Farisogullari said: “The visit was allowed by the state in order to undermine the ongoing hunger strikes in all parts of Kurdistan. This must be considered as a special warfare method. This is why the State immediately allowed Mehmet Ocalan to pay a visit to the Imrali prison. The brief visit proved that there is no intention to end the isolation. The goal of the state is to disrupt the growing resistance and anger against the isolation.”

Vigil in front of the Amed prison

HDP MP Musa Farisogullari stated that on January 27, a vigil action will be launched with the participation of HDP MPs in front of the Type E Prison in Amed where Guven is held.

“In order to give voice to the cry of prisoners, on January 27 we the HDP MPs will start a vigil in front of the prison. As long as the hunger strikes in prisons continue, we will also be in action. We will speak up for those behind bars. Silence is death, nobody should be silent,” added the HDP MP and warned that the fascist AKP-MHP government would be responsible for any case of death in prisons.