Democratic Regions Party (DBP) co-chair Saliha Aydeniz drew attention to the hunger strike launched by political prisoners in Turkey for the removal of isolation on Kurdistan Workers Party leader Abdullah Öcalan and demanded the isolation be removed immediately.
The DBP made a statement titled “It is time to achieve national unity and freedom now” in Van city in Turkey.
DBP co-chairs, Democratic Society Congress co-chairs and citizens of Van attended the event. Police attacked those who tried to march towards Feqiye Teyran Park, while also blocking journalists who tried to watch the action.
Despite police opposition, people marched to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) district organisation building in Reya Armuşe, saluting the hunger strikes in protest of Öcalan’s isolation.
During the march police attacked people with water cannons and gas bombs. Afterwards protestors gathered again in front of party building and made statements. DBP co-chair Aydeniz criticised police assults. Aydeniz also drew attention to the hunger strikes launched by political prisoners for the removal of isolation and said, “Whenever the isolation is removed in Turkey, people get a much needed break”.
Hunger strikes
Prisoners in Turkey announced the beginning of their hunger strike via the weekly phone calls they made with their families on 27 November. Former Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Çağlar Demirel, who is currently imprisoned in the Kocaeli Kandıra F-type high security prison, launched the hunger strike. Later, imprisoned former Democratic Regions Party (DBP) member Sebahat Tuncel also decided to strike, and applied to be transferred to the İmralı prison island complex where Abdullah Öcalan is being held.
Elsewhere several prisoners have joined the strike in prisons across Turkey.
It has also been revealed that prisoners who were on hunger strike have been subjected to mistreatment in several prisons.
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