Behya Tan is the mother of Şahin Tan, one of the prisoners who joined the resistance demanding the end of isolation against Kurdish People's Leader.

Joining the hunger strike led by DTK Co-chair Leyla Güven was 21-year-old Şahin Tan. He has been on hunger strike since 26 December 2018 in Ceyhan Closed Prison. He has been in prison for 3 and a half years. Tan was arrested for celebrating Newroz when he was 17 years old.

Şahin Tan's mother Behiya Tan, who stated that they have been making livestock for years in Mercimek, Ceyhan, said: “My son was born in Mercimek. The youngest of four. Şahin did not attend school after secondary school. Although we asked him to study and struggle in this way, he did not want to continue. After dropping out of school, he started helping his father and began taking care of animals. We couldn't keep him at home in his spare time. He used to go to Ceyhan with his friends. He entered into youth work. He wouldn't tell us much. He was detained during the Newroz celebrations banned in Ceyhan in 2016. He has been in prison for three years. He has one more year to do before he gets out. Now he is on hunger strike. Although he says he is good and has high spirit, he has lost a lot of weight and I can see in his eyes his real condition.”

What right has the state?

Behiya Tan said that when she speaks to the phone with her son, he cannot speak much and has difficulty breathing. “What right does this state has to make us live through this? - she asked - We families want this isolation to be lifted as soon as possible so our children could get their health back. If the hunger strike continue in this way, irreversible damage will occur. The Kurdish people must be able to give a strong voice to the demand of the hunger strikers. We mothers are suffering the most. We are on hunger strike with our children. How can we eat when they're not eating. Let’s listen to their voice before news of another death comes.”