Hunger strike in front of the UN office in Geneva continues

Like hundreds of activists around the world, Koçak is demanding the end of the absolute isolation of Abdullah Öcalan.

Kurdish activist Mehmet Ali Koçak is on the 10th day of indefinite hunger strike in front of the UN Office in Geneva where the 40th session of the Human Rights Council is underway.

Like hundreds of activists around the world, Koçak is demanding the end of the absolute isolation of Abdullah Öcalan.

He has decided to turn his fast into an indefinite hunger strike in support of HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven and the other hunger strikers.

To support the hunger strike resistance four more activists named Cuma Sürer, Agit Emen, Memeh Kıvık and Yunus Nas went on a 3-day solidarity hunger strike in front of the UN. The four activists are from the town of St. Gallen.

They read a press release in front of the UN building to explain the reason of the action.

In the press release, the Geneva Democratic Kurdish Community Center co-chair, Salih Sağlam reminded the critical phase in which hunger strikes are going on in many cities and prisons to demand the end of isolation.

Sağlam said: “Many of our friends today have gone beyond the critical threshold. However, institutions such as the CPT, the Council of Europe and the UN remain silent over the demands of our friends. If a friend of ours is martyred, they will be held responsible for this death as well as the AKP and Erdoğan. We are calling on these organizations to act now before it is too late.”

Sağlam added: “The most important thing against this silence will be to act as one, Kurds and their friends. Yes, we pay the price but we know that this price is to give our people freedom. Everyone should join the resistance.”

Koçak: Let's join the Resistance

Mehmet Ali Koçak, who has been on hunger strike in front of the UN for ten days said that they will continue to resist no matter the price until isolation is lifted.

Koçak criticized the insensitivity of international institutions and organizations towards the hunger strikers and the isolation against Öcalan.

Koçak said that Kurds in Europe should spread the resistance.

Partizan: We are the resistance

Erdinc Akçil, who spoke on behalf of Swiss Partizan, said that they are in solidarity with the hunger strike resistance and added that they will go on hunger strike before the UN office in the coming days.

After the press release, the hunger strike activists went to the tent in front of the UN, which shows posters of Ocalan, Leyla Guven and other hunger strikers.