Eight children on hunger strike in Urfa prison
Eight children on hunger strike in Urfa prison
Eight children currently in prison in Urfa E Type Prison went on an unlimited hunger strike on Tuesday. They embarked upon this extreme protest to be transferred to the political prisoners’ barrack from non-political prisoners’ barrack.
According to the Urfa Governor’s press release, the children are currently on trial for “being members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)” and they wanted to stay with other adult prisoners who are also on trial for “being PKK members.”
In a recent report published by the Ministry of Justice, 479 children are currently in prison with their convicted mothers.
Nearly 2,500 of the prison population in Turkey are women. For many of them prison sentence mean to be forced to rise their children in prison as well. According to the Ministry of Justice data, as of November 2010 there were 479 children in such situations. The children are not allowed to stay in prison after they reach the age of 6. Experts say these children do not want to leave the prison after that age and that this causes them to commit crimes to be sent back.
Some prisons have kindergartens for children between the ages of 3 and 6 where they can play with other children. However, those below the age of 3 have to spend the day in the prison cell with their mothers. Many of the prisons do not allow toys in the cells.
According to the Urfa Governor’s press release, the children are currently on trial for “being members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)” and they wanted to stay with other adult prisoners who are also on trial for “being PKK members.”
In a recent report published by the Ministry of Justice, 479 children are currently in prison with their convicted mothers.
Nearly 2,500 of the prison population in Turkey are women. For many of them prison sentence mean to be forced to rise their children in prison as well. According to the Ministry of Justice data, as of November 2010 there were 479 children in such situations. The children are not allowed to stay in prison after they reach the age of 6. Experts say these children do not want to leave the prison after that age and that this causes them to commit crimes to be sent back.
Some prisons have kindergartens for children between the ages of 3 and 6 where they can play with other children. However, those below the age of 3 have to spend the day in the prison cell with their mothers. Many of the prisons do not allow toys in the cells.
