Imprisoned Kurdish writer Ali Poyraz has started a hunger strike in London to protest against the police crackdown on Kurdish activists and their families. He was arrested on 27 November along with six other activists from the Kurdish Community Centre (KCC) in London. The European Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E) has called for a people’s demonstration on 1 December in defence of the KCC. Jeremy Corbyn, former Labour leader and Islington MP described the operation on the KCC as an attack on democratic freedom.
Poyraz spent more than 21 years in prison in Turkey and previously wrote about this experience in a book. According to a report, he started a hunger strike to protest against the operation as soon as he was taken from his house. There has been no contact between him and his family, including phone calls, since his arrest. His lawyers say that they will file a complaint against the police officers if the conditions of his detention continue.
The police operation took place in the night between 2 and 3 a.m. Poyraz’s son was forced to the ground and handcuffed when the police raided their home. The families of those arrested were prevented from returning to their homes until the end of the three days of investigation.
Poyraz’s daughter, Dijle Poyraz, described the police action as immoral. “When they talk about terrorists, we think of ISIS,” she said.
London Kurds begin hunger strike as more arrests made at Haringey Community Centre
In response, Kurdish people started a vigil in front of the KCC, which is still sealed by the police. Kurds and their supporters also called for a demonstration on 1 December and the KCDK-E urged every Kurd in England to participate to create unity against the criminalisation of their community.
Condemning the attack on the KCC, Corbyn said, “Attacks on one community’s institutions or democratic freedoms are an attack on us all… [Kurdish people] have changed our part of London for the better – and their resolve is an inspiration to millions of us seeking to build a more just and peaceful world.”
