Symbolic hunger strikes and marches have been staged across Turkey on the 55th day of the fast by Kurdish political prisoners in Turkey prisons.

On Monday, 5 November, 10 thousand Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Kurdistan Women’s Liberation Party (PAJK) and Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) prisoners in 72 prisons have joined the indefinite-irreversible strike which was started by around 70 Kurdish prisoners in 7 prisons on 12 September and spread to 39 prisons in the following weeks with the number of hunger strikers rising to over 600. Only the ill, old and child inmates of PKK, PAJK and KCK prisoners aren’t involved in the protest at present.

A press conference was held on Monday at the Federation of Associations of Solidarity and Legal Aid for Families of Prisoners (TUHAD-FED) office in the main Kurdish city Diyarbakýr. Responding to Prime Minister Erdoðan who describe the prison protests as a political show, TUHAD-FED president Zübeyde Teker pointed out that the statement by the PM eliminates the possibility of discussing the demands highlighted by fasting prisoners. Teker also called attention to brutal police violence against demonstrations in solidarity with prisoners, underlining that the state and government would be responsible for any consequences.

Another press conference was held by Solidarity with Prisoners Relatives Association (TUHAD-DER) in front of Diyarbakýr E Type Closed prison. The press conference which criticized the silence on the hunger strike ended with a sit-in.

Some other demonstrations staged to support fasting prisoners are as follows;

Lice: A group of unionists including Eðitim-Sen members held a press conference and called on President Abdullah Gül to display sensivity on the hunger strike.

Batman: Hundreds of people gathered in front of Batman M Type prison to support the sit-in staged there for the last five days. A group of fifty people took over the alternate hunger strike in front of Azadi Park. The demonstrators in the area were visited by a French delegation made up of senators and mayors.

Siirt: A press conference was held in front of Siirt prison with the participation of hundreds of people including Mayor Selim Sadak. The press conference was followed by a sit-in and a march during which woman demonstrators were attacked by the police.

Adana: Three members of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) started a two-day hunger strike at Ýnonü Park where hundreds of people joined the press conference and ESP Adana district chairman Sabahattin Piþkinbaþ called on the AKP government to recognize the demands of prisoners on hunger strike.

Mersin: Democratic Alevi Association held a press conference on the hunger strike and called for dialogue for a solution to the Kurdish problem.

Mardin: Hundreds of people, including members of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Mardin district organization and Peace Mothers Initiative, staged a sit-in in front of Mardin T Type Closed Prison. After the sit-in, the group started a vigil at the ‘House of Resistance’.

BDP administrators in Mardin’s Kýzýltepe district visited shopkeepers and asked for support for hunger strikers.

The vigil in the district of Midyat was taken over by the third group.

Women staged a sit-in at Peace Park in the district of Nusaybin in solidarity with prisoners on fast.

Muþ: A march was staged in the district of Malazgirt to protest against the government’s silence on the hunger strike.

Dersim: Fifteen people started a hunger strike at BDP building after the police seized the ‘Tent of Resistance’ at city center.

The alternate solidarity hunger strikes in the provinces of Antep, Van, Aðrý, Erzurum and Iðdýr continue with new groups.