The hunger strike launched in Turkey’s prisons to protest the isolation of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, and violations of rights in prisons more generally, continues on its 86th day.
The support actions launched in the Makhmur Refugee Camp in Iraq have reached their 65th day and the hunger strike in the Lavrio Refugee Camp in Greece is on its 48th day.
Şakir Akkurt is one of the prisoners who is on strike. He has been behind bars since 1992. This is the fifth time he has been on strike since his imprisonment. “Our actions achieved their goals four times, and we will succeed again”, he said on a phone call to his family.
His sister, Şükran Akkurt, said the prisoners’ demands are legitimate and should be met urgently. She is concerned about the rights violations in prisons. “We do not want the strikers to lose their lives in prisons. Those of us on the outside have to do something”. She added that families will be behind the striker until the end.