The indefinite-alternating hunger strikes launched by political prisoners on November 27 to end the isolation against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the ongoing violations of rights in prisons continue. The action taken over by the 5th group is on its 22nd day.

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair for Law and Human Rights and Lawyer Ümit Dede called for the demands of the detainees to be met.

Dede recalled that Democratic Society Congress (DTK) co-chair Leyla Güven launched a hunger strike in November 2018, which lasted 200 days until May 2019 against the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People's Leader Öcalan. He remarked that hunger strikes have been started by prisoners on 27 November with the same demands because authorities did not keep their promise.

THERE MAY BE DIRE CONSEQUENCES UNDER PANDEMIC CONDITIONS

Stating that the hunger strikes could lead to dire consequences, especially during the pandemic process, Dede noted that the government implements practices contrary to the warnings of national and international health and legal organizations.

Dede stated the following regarding the violations of rights that make life difficult for prisoners in prisons:

"The evacuation of open prisons by the unequal and discriminatory execution law has caused serious problems in meeting the food needs of prisoners. While outdoor and sports time must be increased, on the contrary, it is restricted by the government. In addition, access to healthcare must be increased, yet it has become difficult for sick and seriously ill prisoners to reach the hospital and their return from hospital to prison caused serious health problems due to quarantine conditions.

We know that seriously ill prisoners are unable to meet their needs alone. Prisoners have been made to refrain from going to the hospital due to the practices in this quarantine process. Newspapers are not allowed to be distributed in the prison. Even the prisoners' radios are confiscated.”

THE LINK BETWEEN TWO DEMANDS MUST BE ESTABLISHED CORRECTLY

Reminding that 46 prisoners died in prisons in 2020 according to a report of the Human Rights Association (İHD), Dede emphasized that the living conditions of prisoners were aggravated due to the violations of rights in prisons.

Dede stated that the link between the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People's Leader Öcalan and the second demand of the hunger strike launched by the prisoners, which is "an end the violations of rights in prisons", should be established correctly.

"Since Mr. Öcalan was placed in the island prison, he has been confronted with an execution regime that is not defined in the law. This de facto isolation system has started to spread to all prisons over time. The rights violations experienced in all prisons at the moment actually have a connection with the Imrali Prison. Most of the violations for which prisoners risk their life were and are implemented in Imrali Prison.

Such practices, such as disciplinary punishments, violations of the rights to spend time in the yard and to see the lawyer and the family ... These practices, which started in Imrali prisons and gradually spread to all prisons, of course, have become a reason for prisoners to start hunger strikes. Prisoners clearly see that if the Imrali Prison regime is not included in the law, it is not possible for any prisoner to have legal protection. Therefore, a violation of one person's right should be a reason for action on its own. The execution regime implemented in İmralı Prison affects all prisons and the society very concretely. For this reason, demands for an end to the isolation in Imrali Prison and the unfair practices in prisons are intertwined and linked.”

Underlining that the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People's Leader Öcalan should not only be dealt with on a legal basis, but also on its social aspect, Dede called for the demands for hunger strikes initiated for this reason to be met.