Hunger strikers in Strasbourg demand action by CPT and CoE

Hunger strike has been launched in front of the Council of Europe in solidarity with the hunger strikes in Turkish jails, the longest of which, in Şakran Prison, is on 58th day.

Representatives of Kurdish institutions under the umbrella of the European Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E) have started a hunger strike in front of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg city of France.

Hundreds including representatives of Kurdish institutions in Europe, KONGRA-GEL Co-chair Remzi Kartal and several intellectuals and academics attended the press briefing in front of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) after gathering in front of the Council of Europe.

The press release in French, Kurdish and Turkish called attention to the critical phase the massive hunger strike in Turkish prisons has reached, recalling that over 200 prisoners in 29 prisons are joining the hunger strike which has entered day 58 in İzmir's Şakran Prison.

The statement recalled that prisoners went on hunger strike in protest at the inhumane conditions and severe rights violations in prisons with demand of an end to the isolation imposed on Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and political prisoners, harassment of prison guards against the prisoners' families during visits, and restrictions on the prisoners' right to treatment.

The statement warned that many participants of the hunger strike, who include 37 women, are on death's threshold as their strike nears day 60.

The statement also highlighted the pressure on human rights organizations, Kurds and other opponent circles across the country in the wake of the coup attempt of July 15, 2016.

Stressing that hunger strike is the only way of struggle left for political prisoners, the statement listed the following demands of the participants of the hunger strike in Strasbourg:

- Consideration of the fair demands of political prisoners in Turkey,

- Urgent inspection by the CPT in Turkey prisons

- Urgent action by the Council of Europe and dialogue with the Turkish government.

On the other hand, a delegation including KCDK-E Co-chair Yüksel Koç went to the CPT for a meeting with officials in order to convey the demands of the massive hunger strike in Turkish jails.

Participants of the hunger strike in front of the CoE are;

- HDP (Peoples' Democratic Party) MPs Faysal Sarıyıldız and Tuğba Hezer,

- KCDK-E (Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress) Co-chair Yüksel Koç,

- NAV-DEM (Democratic Kurdish Society Center in Germany) Co-chair Fatoş Göksungur,

- NAV-BEL (Democratic Kurdish Society Center in Belgium) Co-chair Arife Soysüren,

- DEM-NED (Democratic Kurdish Society Center in the Netherlands) Co-chair Hüseyin Yıldız,

- FEDA (European Democratic Alevi Federation) Co-chair Veli Kaya,

- CiK (Kurdistan Islamic Society) representative Melle Mustafa,

- TJK-E (European Kurdish Women's Movement) representative Hanim Engizek,

- Ciwanen Azad (Kurdish Free Youth) representative Ahmet Yıldırım.

Some other people are also joining the hunger strike alternately, including;

Ahmet Nesin (Journalist), Pınar Aydınlar (Artist), Filiz Koçali (Politician/journalist), Utku Sayın (Academic for peace), Aziz Tunç (Writer), Doc Dr. İbrahim Sedo Aydoğan (Co-spokesperson of Peoples' Democratic Congress-Europe, HDK-E France), İbrahim Çiçek (Journalist), Füsun Erdoğan (Journalist), Demir Çelik (Co-spokesperson of Peoples' Democratic Congress-Europe, HDK-E)