The hunger strike PKK and PAJK prisoners started in prisons against the aggravated isolation imposed on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan continues on its 35th day. Approximately 2.500 prisoners participated in the hunger strike started on November 27 carried out in turns. Yusuf Çakas, member of the Prison Commissioner of the Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD) and the manager of the MED Mesopotamian Prisoner and Convict Families Legal and Solidarity Associations Federation (MED TUHAD-FED) spoke about the hunger strike.

 

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

 

Çakas underlined that the demand of the hunger strikers is the lifting of the isolation in İmralı and an end to violations of rights in prisons. Çakas told that they believe there are around 2.500 prisoners participated in the hunger strikes according to the applications made to them by the families. Çakas said: "Hunger stiking is an act of civil disobedience.the government must take steps in terms of meeting the demands because the demands are legal and justified. These people aren't demanding something illegal. And as civil society organizations, we have a responsibility and a role in this hunger strike. Civil society demands that the demands of the prisoners are met. We know that there have been many deaths in the previous hunger strikes. We don't want that to happen again. In order to prevent that, we want these very legal and justified demands to be met as soon as possible."

 

 

MA / Fahrettin Kılıç - Cengiz Özbasar