As hunger strikes in Turkish prisons against the isolation imposed on Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan reach their 58th day, Mesopotamia News Agency reports that a Hunger Strikes Monitoring Coordination has been established in the Van (Wan) province of Turkey.
The coordination, which is composed of members of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), the Association of Solidarity for Prisoners’ Families (TUHAY-DER), the Human Rights Association (IHD), the Van Bar Association, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (THİV), the Trade Union of Employees in Public Health and Social Services Union (SES) and the Van and Hakkari (Colemerg) Medical Chamber representatives, called for authorities to end the isolation policy in Imrali Prison.
“Isolation is against the law” stated the coordination, calling on authorities to take action.
Ekin Yeter spoke on behalf of the coordination during a press statement held in the Public Workers’ Syndicate’ Confederation (KESK) building in Van. “The Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Justice, the Rights Inquiry Commission in Parliament, Ombudsman Institutions — they are all responsible for the situation in prisons”, said Yeter. “All violations of rights in prisons should end, torture and maltreatment should end, sick prisoners should be provided with proper medical treatment, and the isolation and torture in quarantine conditions should be stopped after the hospital referrals”.
‘Health checks should be done properly’
Yeter also stressed that health checks should be done regularly in prisons where the hunger strikes continue: “Nutritional needs and medical care should be provided according to protocols. The government should take action immediately to end the isolation before the health of prisoners declines”.
