Press conference in Strasbourg just started - UPDATE

Press conference in Strasbourg just started - UPDATE

The press conference in Strasbourg has just started.

Leyla Zana MP has reminded the audience of the meetings they have been having today with different European institutions.

Zana said "We hope the shadow of death will not reach this city", adding that she would hope the 15 Kurds on hunger strike in Strasbourg to stop their fast.

MEP Jürgen Klute, Coordinator of the European Parliament - Kurds Friendship Group, said that the demands of the hunger strikers are just and fair and stressed that "they have reached to put the Kurdish question on the politicians' hands". This is why, added that MEP, "we think they should use this success to capitalize on it and to announce an end to the hunger strike today, on its 49th day".

Hunger striker Nigat Enayati called on the CPT (Committee for the Prevention of Torture) to comitt itself to visit Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan who has been in isolation since 27 July 2011.

This morning, the President of the European Parliament, Mr Martin Shulz, met Mrs Leyla Zana, European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and Member of the Turkish Parliament, in Strasbourg. They discussed the political situation in Turkey and the Kurdish issue.