The hunger strikes launched by DTK Co-chair and HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Guven demanding an end to the aggravated isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan by the Turkish state are being discussed in another European country’s parliament.

The main opposition Social Democratic Party (SPO) submitted an inquiry for the Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl to respond to and asked what the Viennese government’s stance is for the hunger strikes.

SPO MPs Petra Bayr and Nurten Yilmaz led the inquiry which gave information on the hunger strike Leyla Guven and 7.000 prisoners continue and asked Minister Kneissl if they are aware of the protests.

The inquiry stated that the Turkish state has imposed an aggravated isolation upon Ocalan in the Imrali prison for years, that thousands of HDP members and elected officials, including former co-chairs of the party, are currently imprisoned without decent indictments, and that torture and isolation have become part of daily life in prisons. The inquiry continued:

“There are 7.000 prisoners on hunger strikes to draw attention to isolation, an inhumane practice. The health of HDP MP Leyla Guven, who also continues her hunger strike, continues to deteriorate every day. Do you have information on the demands of the hunger strikers and their health conditions? What do you think on the issue?”

THE GOVERNMENT CRITICIZED FOR “SILENCE AGAINST ERDOGAN”

SPO’s inquiry also criticized the government’s stance towards the Erdogan regime.

The inquiry said the government’s preferred stance of silence in the face of recent developments in Turkey is surprising and mentioned the articles in Austrian media that 2020 would be the year of culture between Vienna and Ankara.

The inquiry also said Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl frequently meets with her Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and called on Kneissl to “take action against the human rights violations and obstacles against freedom of press and expression in Turkey, and to ensure the fundamental rights of prisoners.”