Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair and People' Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari Deputy Leyla Güven is in her 73rd day of hunger strike she initiated to protest the isolation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

 

While the support for Leyla Güven is expanding, an international petition was initiated for Güven.

 

The petition text is as follows:

 

END THE ISOLATION

 

HEAR LEYLA GUVEN, HUNGER STRIKER

 

LEYLA GUVEN HAS BEEN ON HUNGER STRIKE FOR 71 DAYS

 

She;

 

- was arrested on 31st January 2018 because she criticized Turkey’s invasion in Afrin

 

- was elected HDP MP for Hakkari province on 24th June 2018 while arrested

 

- on 8th November 2018 started the hunger strike demanding the lifting of the condition of isolation on Kurdish People’s leader Mr. Abdullah Ocalan who has been held at Imrali Island Prison for 20 years.

 

Against this torture regime in Imrali Island that has maintained for years in the presence of all world, Leyla Güven, as a last resort, has laid down her existence to say stop to the absolute isolation. Thus, she exposes the persecution and cruel face of the state that chooses war policies to dialogue and negotiation. After Leyla Güven has started the hunger strike, almost 300 political prisoners in different prisons of Turkey have also begun the indefinite and irreversible hunger strike with the same demands and these strikes still continue.

 

She demands it because;

 

-This isolation is also the beginning of the escalation of the fascism by AKP government. The proclamation of the State of Emergency, prohibition of the freedom of expression and the right to association and even serious attacks against the right to life have become widespread and ordinary in this process. The isolation which has been maintained in violation of national and international law, is an attack on the people of Turkey and their desire to live together in peace. It is an obstacle to a democratic solution to the Kurdish Question in Turkey.

 

-The state also removes the possibility and chance of a peaceful solution and returning to negotiation table in the future by isolating Mr. Abdullah Öcalan, who represents Kurdish People, prepared a roadmap for peace and has developed initiatives to terminate the conflict.

 

Dear Friends,

 

Lifting the isolation means to eliminate one of the barriers against hope for the peace and culture of living together for all peoples in Turkey, Middle East, world and Kurdish People as well. On this basis we call for all women at first and people believing in peace to be in solidarity with us for lifting the isolation conditions and sign this letter.

 

You can sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/leyla-guven-petition-for-leyla-guven?recruiter=929965479&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_petition