The hunger strike launched in front of the Council of Europe (CoE) in Strasbourg by the European Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E) in support of the hunger strikes that have continued for 60 days in prisons in Turkey and Kurdistan continues on day 3.

29 people started an indefinite irreversible hunger strike and 18 others support them with short-term alternating hunger strikes.

The activists continue their hunger strike in the tent set up in front of the CoE and bring the 60-day long hunger strikes in prisons in Turkey and Kurdistan to attention with the statements they make.

The hunger strikers’ health is fine, and they give messages of resistance with the halay dances and marches they sing throughout the day.

The activists were visited by the Basel Democratic Kurdish Society Center workers today. Switzerland Democratic Kurdish Society Centers (DEM-KURD) Co-chair Fatma Matur and ADHK representative Hava Doğru Doğan spoke in the demonstration and pointed to the current phase of the hunger strikes in prison, calling to increase the resistance.

Hunger strike participant HDP Şırnak MP Faysal Sarıyıldız, HDP Van MP Tuğba Hezer and Socialist Women’s Union representative Gülderen Sevim spoke to ANF.

SARIYILDIZ: THE DUNGEONS ARE A CENTER OF RESISTANCE

Sarıyıldız stressed that the hunger strikers in prisons in Turkey and Kurdistan are approaching the critical threshold and said: “Those in power are trying every conceivable method and they see every tyranny fit because they can’t suppress the will of the people outside and the resistance in the prisons. But there is one thing they are forgetting: There has always been a tradition of resistance in the dungeons, today this tradition of resistance continues. When tyranny and fascism turns to the prisons, our friends inside don’t refrain from turning their bodies into resistance grounds against them. This is a tradition that started in the Amed dungeon, coming in to the present.”

“THE RESISTANCE SHOULD BE SUPPORTED”

Sarıyıldız said, “Demonstrations should be held everywhere to support the continuing resistance in the prisons,” and stressed that the prisoners aren’t just resisting for their own demands but against the annihilation policies imposed upon the Kurdish people.

Sarıyıldız stated that the prisoners’ demands are their demands and added: “Everybody should support the resistance in the dungeons. The success the prison resistance will achieve will impact our people on the outside significantly. Supporting our friends who have turned the only weapon they have, their own bodies, into resistance is the most important duty for anyone who calls themselves human.”

HEZER: THE PRISONERS’ DEMANDS SHOULD BE OUR DEMANDS

Hunger striker HDP MP Hezer said the resistance in the prisons should be supported and the resistance should be enhanced in all areas and added: “We must support the resistance in the dungeons that grows every day against those who want to trap the resistance of a people by locking it behind walls. The prisoners’ demands should be our demands. On this note, when going to the ballots tomorrow, we must say no to those who impose monism and fascism upon us. Don’t forget, saying no will be the biggest support to the dungeon resistance.”

SEVİM: THE RESISTANCE IN THE DUNGEONS SHOULD BE SUPPORTED EVERYWHERE

Socialist Women’s Union representative Gülderen Sevim who joined the hunger strike in support stressed that the resistance in the dungeons should be supported through demonstrations to be held everywhere. Sevim also called on the voters who will go to the ballots tomorrow and said: “Tomorrow, everybody should vote No and then protect the ballots to support the resistance in the dungeons.”