Hunger strikes against the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan are spreading. The imprisoned HDP MP and DTK Co-chair Leyla Guven is on the 26th day of her hunger strike, as actions spread throughout cities.

After 10 party members on a hunger strike to support Leyla Guven were detained yesterday, the HDP Organization Committee convened and decided to expand the demonstrations.

10 MPs including Co-chair Pervin Buldan will go on a hunger strike in the parliament tomorrow. In various centers, MPs are going on 3-day hunger strikes beforehand.

MERSIN

MPs Fatma Kurtulan, Ridvan Turan and Tulay Hatimogullari have gone on a hunger strike in Mersin, affected by political genocide operations.

Human Rights Association (IHD) administrators and Socialist Refoundation Party (SYKP) Co-chair Canan Yuce, as well as HDP members, have visited the MPs on a hunger strike. HDP MPs said they are going to be a voice for Leyla Guven.

KURTULAN: ISOLATION SPREADS THE WAR

Kurtulan pointed out that isolation is a crime against humanity: “With the isolation, all democratic dynamics in Turkey and the Middle East are affected. With the isolation, the war gains new aspects and spreads. With the isolation, democracy and peace are put on hold. At such a time, Guven started this demonstration to point this out. The message Guven wanted to give to the outside world through her lawyers was just this. We said ‘Leyla Guven is right. The isolation must end at once’ and started a solidarity process.”

“CALLING ON ALL FOR SOLIDARITY”

Kurtalan contiued: “Yesterday they tried to sabotage this demonstration in our provincial offices, but despite their attempts at sabotage, we decided to continue the hunger strike with 3 MPs today. We will continue to show solidarity with the hunger strike activists who were detained. We have decided to also apply this solidarity everywhere. We are calling on our people: They wanted to void this solidarity, but we voided them. We are here. We are calling on all to come here in solidarity.”

HATIMOGULLARI: THIS STRUGGLE WILL CONTINUE

Tulay Hatimogullari said: “We will continue the strike here and outside for both our detained friends and Leyla Guven. The AKP government’s attacks against our party are also due to the upcoming local elections. But I must say, we will continue our struggle until we bring peace, fraternity and freedom to this country.”

TURAN: THEY CAN’T BREAK OUR WILL THROUGH THUGGERY

Ridvan Turan said the incidents have been barbaric and added:

“The government wants to break Leyla Guven’s will through these attacks. That is how we see this. We would like to state once more that we stand with our friend Leyla Guven. They can’t break our will through such thuggish attacks. We embrace this demonstration. We know that the isolation policies against Mr. Öcalan won’t bring any advantages to this country. This approach by the government is geared towards breaking the will for peace and democracy, as well as the local elections.