An indefinite alternating hunger strike was undertaken by PKK and PAJK prisoners on 27 November in order to end the isolation imposed on Kurdish people leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in Imrali High Security F Type Closed Prison for 22 years, and to protest the increasing violations of rights.

The hunger strike has reached day 100.

HDP Legal and Human Rights Commission co-chair Ümit Dede held a press conference at the HDP Headquarters to evaluate the hunger strikes and rights violations in prisons, which are now on their 100th day.

Dede said: “The indefinite alternating hunger strike, which started on November 27, reached its 100th day with the participation of thousands of prisoners in 107 prisons. The unlawful practices against human dignity that prisoners are subjected to in prisons are so much that it is not possible to mention all the violations of rights. It should be noted that the fact that prisoners are on their 100th day of hunger strike despite the coronavirus pandemic makes this resistance even more meaningful as it is a resistance to defend human dignity in the face of the intensity of the current violations of rights in prisons.

Dede added: “The hunger strike in prisons has reached its 100th day. This hunger strike is a resistance to defend honour.”