European Kurdish Democratic Society Congress (KCDK-E) launched a mass sit-in two weeks ago in front of the European Parliament (EP) and has continued the protest in front of the CoE since last week. This week will be the third week of the protest.

The mass sit-in supports the indefinite non-alternating hunger strikes launched against the Turkish state’s isolation policies and the silence of the CoE and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, which is the institution with the authority to stop the mistreatment and torture in prisons in Turkey.

Today over 100 people from France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium attended the sit-in. More participation is expected in the coming hours and days.

CETIN: THESE PROTESTS ARE NOT JUST AGAINST THE ISOLATION

Activists gave speeches after a minute’s silence at 12:00 and pointed to the importance of resistance against the isolation.

Journalist Ferda Cetin said the protests against the isolation are not just against the fascist policies of the Turkish state, and that they also protest the Council of Europe and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) for their silence.

“We are calling on those who remain silent, who remain deaf, who still don’t understand to hear this voice, and understand,” said Cetin and stated that the protests in Strasbourg and throughout Europe are important for supporting the indefinite non-alternating hunger strikes.

“COE FOUNDED THE CPT BECAUSE THEY CONSIDERED THE UN CONVENTION LACKING”

Ferda Cetin said the CPT’s stance has been discussed frequently and added that holding the protest in Strasbourg was a good choice in that sense.

Cetin said the CPT was founded after the CoE accepted a United Nations convention but later considered the convention lacking and founded the CPT.

Cetin added that the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment signed on December 10, 1984 and went into effect in 1987 was considered to be lacking in certain aspects by the CoE, who went on to found the CPT in 1987.

“OCALAN HAS BEEN UNDER AGGRAVATED ISOLATION FOR 4 YEARS”

Cetin said the CPT’s founding purpose was to detect mistreatment and torture in prisons before it happens and intervene accordingly, and added that the CPT has the authority to intervene without permission from host states.

Ferda Cetin said the CPT has violated the founding principle to prevent rights violations against prisoners before they happen and added that the aggravated isolation against Ocalan has continued for 4 years.

THE RESPONSIBILITY ISN’T JUST FOR CPT AND COE, THE PEOPLE MUST SPEAK UP

Ferda Cetin said the ongoing hunger strikes and the sit-in protests in support aim to make the CPT take action and added that there is responsibility that falls on the shoulders of the peoples of Kurdistan and Turkey as well.

“One cannot hope the isolation will go away on its own, when people are silent and immobile,” said Cetin and stressed that Leyla Guven and the other hunger strikers aim to break this silence.

Cetin also pointed out that many protests to support the resistance continue despite negative conditions and added that they will prevail.

HUMAN CHAIN IN FRONT OF THE COE: CALL FOR ACTION

The crowd held a banner with a quote from Leyla Guven, “I am a friend to those who love life enough to die for it” in German and marched to the entrance of the CoE.

The activists wore vests that read “End the isolation” and “Freedom for Ocalan” and formed a human chain towards the CoE, holding banners with Ocalan’s photograph.

The crowd frequently chanted “Freedom for Ocalan”, “End the isolation”, “Speak up against the isolation”, “Biji Serok Apo”, “Terrorist Turkey” and “Murderer Erdogan” in various European languages.

Activists passed flyers about the isolation and the indefinite Non-alternating hunger strikes against the isolation as well as engaging the public in dialogues. In speeches given during the protest, activists called for urgent action by the CoE and the CPT.

After the human chain, the crowd went back to the area the Freedom for Ocalan vigil is held in, between the CPT and CoE buildings.

The protest will continue with music by Peywan Arjin from Koma Berxwedan, Hozan Kawa, Xelil Xemgin and Hozan Semdin.

PARTICIPANTS FROM DOZENS OF EUROPEAN CITIES

Over 100 people from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands attended this week’s protest. Many more are expected to arrive in Strasbourg later.

The participants are coming from the following cities:

SWITZERLAND: Bern, Aarau, Luzern. Zurich and Basel.

FRANCE: Paris, Villiers-le-bel, Drancy, Creil, Marseilles and Rennes.

GERMANY: Duisburg, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Lahr, Stuttgart and Cologne.

AUSTRIA: Vienna and Linz.

BELGIUM: Brussels.

THE NETHERLANDS: Rotterdam.

Kurdish artists, politicians and journalists are also attending the protest. Artists Hozan Xelil Xemgin, Hozan Semdin, Hozan Kawa and Hozan Peyman Arjin as well as journalist Ferda Cetin and former HDP Siirt MP Besime Konca are also present in the protest.