The indefinite-irreversible hunger strike in Strasbourg, launched by Shengal Diaspora Assembly members demanding that the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan be lifted and status of Shengal be recognized, continues in its 17th day.

The hunger strike was launched by five administrators of Shengal Diaspora Assembly -Fikret İgrek, Peşimam Ekrem Deniz, Bozo Bacini, Bedirxan Kahraman and Beşir Ezidi - in the La Trés-Sainte-Trinité Church in Esplanade on August 23.

Participants of the hunger strike are receiving more visits from various circles every day. Today, they have been visited by members of Kurdish Women's Movement and HDK (Peoples' Democratic Congress) Europe organisation.

Heyva Sor executive Doctor Fahrettin Gülşen, who cares for the hunger strikers since the first day, stated that the health of five participants of the indefinite hunger strike is deteriorating. Gülşen reported that the bodies of hunger strikers are now reacting to sugared water and rejecting it, and the strikers are increasingly facing hyper sensitiveness to light and noise, hypotension, stomach and tummy-ache, pyrosis, nausea, dizziness and muscle pain. While the strikers spend a large part of their day in the bed, three of them have lost up to 12 kilos so far.

Gülşen stated that the hunger strikers will undergo a detailed health check tomorrow.

Helene Dersim, spokesperson for the hunger strikers, called on Kurds and democratic circles to show further support to the participants and put more pressure on the Council of Europe and European Committee for the Prevention of Tprture (CPT).