Political prisoners in Turkey are staging a hunger strike to demand the lifting of Abdullah Öcalan's isolation and a solution to the Kurdish question. Disciplinary punishments were imposed on in prisons joining the action in Urfa.
The Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) published a report following visits to T Type Prisons No1 and No2 in Urfa. According to the report by the Urfa branch of the ÖHD, political prisoners in both prisons are on hunger strike against the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan and for a solution to the Kurdish question.
In Prison No2, lawyers visited Emin Güler, among others, who is taking part in the hunger strike despite having a severe disability of ninety percent. According to the ÖHD, Güler was wanted to be moved to a single cell on the very first day. The prison management justified the measure by wanting to keep him under control. However, because no single cell was available, he was taken back to his ward. He was given a disciplinary penalty for his participation in the hunger strike and is not allowed to take part in internal prison activities for a month. In addition to Emin Güler, prisoner Maksut Dürmüş is also on hunger strike in the same ward.
Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against prisoner Selami Çiftçi at Prison No1 because of the hunger strike. According to the report, Çiftçi was introduced to a psychologist who tried to convince him to stop the action. Prisoners Aydın Oba and Kadir Demir in the same prison have also been on hunger strike for four days.
