The Kurdish hunger strike campaign demanding an end to the isolation imposed upon Ocalan was brought to the agenda of the German Parliament. Die Linke MP Akbulut asked the Merkel government what they think about the isolation in Imrali and hunger strikes.
The hunger strike launched by DTK Co-chair and HDP MP Leyla Guven on November 7, 2018 demanding an end to the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan in the Imrali Island Prison is on day 101. Following the hunger strike Leyla Guven started, many people in several global cities have gone on hunger strikes. The hunger strike by 14 Kurdish activists in Strasbourg, France is on day 62.
Despite interest and support from the public, the European states are significantly silent about the hunger strikes which have crossed a critical threshold. At the top of that list of states is Germany. Die Linke (Left Party) took the issue to the Federal Parliament to clarify the Merkel-led Federal Government’s stance on the hunger strikes
According to information sources close to Die Linke gave the ANF, the written question submitted to the Federal Parliament under the lead of Die Linke MP Gokay Akbulut to be responded to by the Government included the following:
“Does the Federal Government have any information on whether German citizens or persons holding residence permits in Germany are participating in the indefinite hunger strikes demanding an end to the isolation imposed upon Abdullah Ocalan, who is currently imprisoned in Turkey?
What information does the Federal Government have on protests and events held in Germany showing solidarity with the hunger strikes or demanding an end to the isolation imposed upon Ocalan? Does the Federal Government have an estimate of what might happen in the hunger strikes, like activists losing their lives in the coming days?”
This written inquiry submitted to the Federal Parliament is expected to be responded to orally next week in a Federal Parliament session by Interior Minister Horst Seehofer or Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
Die Linke had submitted another written question in January to clarify the Merkel government’s stance regarding Imrali. The question about the isolation in Imrali was responded to on January 16 by Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth, who said the isolation in Imrali must end in accordance with the international treaties signed by the Turkish government.
Minister Roth had said the aggravated isolation imposed upon Abdullah Ocalan needs to end and he needs to be allowed to meet with his family and lawyers. But, barely a month after Roth’s comments, the Merkel government has forgotten them and stands out as not putting any pressure at all on the Turkish government to take steps to end the hunger strikes.
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