Human Rights defenders in Turkey issued joint press statements in various provinces of Turkey, including Istanbul, Diyarbakır (Amed), Adana, Mardin (Mêrdîn‎), Hatay and Van (Wan) on the occassion of Human Rights Week.

Human Rights Association (İHD), Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) Diyarbakır Office, Diyarbakır Bar Association, Diyarbakır Medical Chamber and Rights Initiative Diyarbakır Office met at the Human Rights Monument in Koşuyolu Park in Diyarbakır to issue their press statement.

İHD Diyarbakır Branch President Abdullah Zeytun spoke on behalf of the organisations. “Once again, we emphasise that the most important part of the problem of human rights and democracy in Turkey is the Kurdish question. The problems of human rights and democracy in Turkey cannot be resolved unless this problem is solved in a peaceful and democratic way.”

Abdullah Zeytun referred also to the violations of human rights due to the politics of war of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) coalition government.

Bringing attention to the latest hunger strikes in prisons, Zeytun called on the Turkish authorities to end the isolation imposed upon the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Another address of the press statements was Istanbul. The activists from the İHD and the HRFT came together at the Sultanahmet Square for the Human Rights Week.

“Disappearances in custody still continue in Turkey. Violations of human rights in prisons have reached to an incredible level and children are being exploited through child labour,” Gülseren Yoleri, The İHD İstanbul Branch Chair said.