The new initiative led by the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) and its components against isolation was launched at a press conference in Taksim.

The first things members of the ‘Leyla Güven is right, Isolation must be lifted Initiative’ will do is going to visit the HDP Hakkari MP at her house in Amed. Leyla Güven has been on hunger strike for 104 days demanding an end to the isolation regime imposed on Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

The institutions taking part in the initiative are Alınteri, The Solidarity with Prisoners Initiative, ESP, SYKP, Greens and Left Future, SODAP, Politika Newspaper, KÖZ, Kaldıraç, Revolutionary Party, DBP, EMEP, Free Lawyers Association, Call for the New World, 78 Initiative, TOP, Federation of Eastern and Southeastern Associations, Workers' Word, Theory and Politics, Democratic Alevi Associations, Contemporary Lawyers Association.

The press conference was attended by the HDK co-chairs, Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit and Sedat Şenoğlu, and the representatives of the People's Houses and the Democratic Alevi Association (DAD).

A banner with the name of the initiative, “Leyla Güven is right, isolation must be lifted" was hanged in the press conference room.

Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit opened her remarks by reminding everyone that as days pass hunger strikers are nearing death and irrevocable damages to their health.

Koçyiğit said that 5 April 2015 was an important political date, as it was the day when communication with Kurdish People's Leader Öcalan came to an end.

She argued that since that day the country has been witnessing war and repression and that in fact isolation is not only against Mr. Öcalan but again all areas of society.

Koçyiğit stressed the demands of the hunger strikers should be met.

“There is no need to take special steps to meet these demands. - she said - Complying with existing laws will lead to the end of these hunger strikes.”

Hunger strikers are trying to break all walls

After Koçyiğit, it was the turn of Cansu Kalender who described the situation in Turkey as that of “an open prison".

“Are we not all - she said - the prisoners of an open prison surrounded by visible-invisible walls?”

Kalender added: “Prisoners are starting from Imrali their struggle to remove all the walls erected before our freedom and our future and to put an end to isolation. For this we repeat that ‘their demands are our demands’,  ‘their struggle is our struggle’. We call on everyone to join our action.”

ESP: Leyla’s demand is our demand

ESP (Socialist Party of the Oppressed) Secretary General, Şahin Tümüklü, said: "Ms Leyla Güven's action sends a strong political message as she is not just asking for Mr. Öcalan to meet with his family in Imralı.”

Revolutionary Party: Resisting against fascism

Revolutionary Party deputy chair Murat Bircan said: “All peoples are under isolation. Our comrades in prison show us the way to the resistance to fascism.”

DGDD: Leyla’s action is an action for democracy

Speaking on behalf of the Federation of Eastern Anatolia and Southeastern Anatolia Associations (DGHD) Abdulhakim Dash said: "Leyla Güven and her comrades are on hunger strike for the development of democracy in this country.”

ÖHP: This fire will burn us all

Lawyer Sinan Zincir, from ÖHP (Libertarian Lawyers Platform), said: "The demands of the activists are very clear. A grey area was created in Imralı. This grey area lies outside the law and is actually implemented all over Turkey. If we don’t end this illegality in Imrali, tomorrow it will be applied in Ankara and Istanbul. This fire will burn us all.”

SYKP: We must defeat isolation

SYKP (Socialist Refoundation Party) Representative Ilhan Yıldırım said: “When the ruling wanted to turn a 20-year long nationalism and chauvinism into vote, it first acted on Imrali. Let’s reject this policy.”