In a written statement, the Prisoners' Voice Platform (TSP), said: "The life of internationalist revolutionary Ecevit Piroğlu, who has been kept in prison by the Serbian state for 3 years, is in serious danger. The Serbian State continues to unlawfully keep Piroğlu in prison in order to hand him over to the fascist Turkish state."

The statement continued: "Piroğlu's second hunger strike, which began on 12 February 2024, has reached a critical point. Piroğlu, who weighed 48 kg, had been previously on hunger strike for 136 days to prevent his extradition to the Turkish state, and his body was very exhausted. Piroğlu's right to treatment was also prevented.

Piroğlu has been imprisoned since June 2021, despite the Serbian Supreme Court ruling that he cannot be extradited to Turkey. Piroğlu was released on 12 January 2024, but on the same day he was arrested again by the Serbian police who were waiting in the prison and transferred to another prison called a ‘camp’, which is a violation of the Serbian state's own law, as well as international law and human rights."

The statement added: "Since his arrest, Ecevit Piroğlu has been at risk of being extradited to the Turkish state as a result of dirty negotiations between Serbia and Turkey. The reason for his arrest is the Turkish state's extradition request. Piroğlu's extradition to the Turkish state was prevented by an international campaign and Piroğlu's 136-day hunger strike resistance.

By further unlawfully imprisoning Piroğlu, the Serbian state is committing a crime.

After 110 days of his second hunger strike, Piroğlu's health is gradually deteriorating. His internal organs have started to lose many of their functions. He suffers from fainting spells, falls and balance problems.

Piroğlu was taken to a hospital on 27 May after his lawyers pointed out in a letter to the European Court of Human Rights that he should be kept under control in the hospital. However, his interpreter, political representative, lawyer and family were not informed when he was taken to the hospital. However, the Serbian authorities did not inform the interpreter and Piroğlu was not even told where he was taken. A false report was then prepared claiming that he ‘refused the health check’ and therefore no examinations were carried out.

Piroğlu wants to continue his hunger strike under supervision in a health facility, as there are no devices, equipment or specialists in the deportation prison and no medical examinations can be carried out."

The statement said that "in a new decision, the Supreme Court of Serbia ruled that the re-arrest and conviction of Piroğlu on 14 January 2023 was unlawful, thus exposing the conspiracy against him.

Piroğlu's imprisonment in Serbia for the past three years is an example of complete lawlessness. The only reason for this is the dirty political negotiations between the fascist dictator Erdoğan and Serbia. Piroğlu is being dragged to death step by step.

The Serbian state is responsible for any negative consequences that may befall Ecevit Piroğlu.

We call on the Serbian state to abandon the dirty negotiations with the fascist Turkish state and immediately release Piroğlu in accordance with international law."

Background

Since June 2021, Ecevit Piroğlu, a political activist from Türkiye, has been held unlawfully and arbitrarily in an immigration detention centre in Serbia, potentially facing deportation to Turkey, despite a Serbian court ruling that he could not be extradited. On 12 February, he began a hunger strike in protest of his continued detention at the Padinska Skela detention centre, and stated his intention to continue until he is released. Since then, his health has deteriorated significantly in the absence of adequate medical care. He remains at risk of unlawful return to Turkey, where he faces a real risk of serious human rights violations.