Prisoners in Rize's Kalkandere L Type Prison, who have already been on an alternate hunger strike over the past month, turned their strike into an indefinite-irreversible one.

Prisoners called their families and stated that the hunger strike is joined by two people from each war and will continue until their demands are met. The prisoners denounced torture and serious human rights violations committed by the prison administration and guards. Prisoners said they are also subjected to strip searches and their letters and books in Kurdish are banned with the excuse that 'there is no translator'.

RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN MENEMEN PEAKED

In the meantime, the indefinite-irreversible hunger strike at Menemen T Type Prison has entered its 9th day. In a letter he wrote, prisoner Ömer Akpolat said human rights violations in Menemen have peaked. Akpolat recalled that four prisoners went on indefinite-irreversible hunger strike on April 4 in protest at the violations, and called for sensitivity on their protest.

Akpolat pointed out that rights violations have increased after the state of emergency, and said "They do not allow any books other than textbooks. They create security problems when we go to hospital and courts, and force us to have medical examination with handcuffs. They collected our radios and reduced our family visits to 35-40 minutes. Our families travel 20 hours to visit us but we are allowed to see them only for 35-40 minutes. Some of our friends are prevented from talking to their families. They allow open visits once every 2 months and phone calls once every 2 weeks. It is forbidden to take photos and send them. We cannot join any activity with our friends from the same case that are held in neighboring wards. They seize the letters we send to human rights organizations. They make up excuses to ban stationary materials such as calendars and pens. They also prevent us from getting the blankets, pillows and sheets our families send us. We cannot go to the hospital because of the problems security forces create, therefore health problems are increasing."

“DEATHS WILL OCCUR IF DEMANDS ARE NOT MET”

Akpolat noted that he lost one tooth and risks losing two more because of their denial of access to hospitals, and said his friends also suffer from health problems due to this problem. Akpolat said 18 people are staying in his ward which has a capacity of 10, remarking that the prison administration refuses dialogue with prisoners with regard to their problems.

Akpolat continued: "Four of our friends went on an indefinite-irreversible hunger strike on April 6 in protest at the isolation, state of emergency and human rights violations. Their names are İmam Özer, Hasan Acar, Abdulkadir Dağ and Cengiz Atsız. If their demands are not met, more of our friends will join the hunger strike in the coming days. The strike in Şakran entered its 59th day and nobody should remain silent. Public awareness must be raised. Otherwise, deaths will occur in prisons."