Kenan Ayaz, detained in Cyprus and facing extradition to Germany, is on an indefinite hunger strike in protest at the action taken against him.

Ayaz's family and representatives of Teofilos Kurdish Cultural Centre went to Nicosia Prison to visit the Kurdish politician.

The prison administrators replied that Ayaz would not be allowed to meet anyone because he had gone on a hunger strike.

Kurdish representatives revealed that they had not received any positive or negative news from Ayaz since he started the hunger strike.

In a statement, they said that the absolute non-communication state imposed on Ayaz was similar to “the practices of the fascist Turkish state”.

The statement added: “The Cyprus state not only fulfilled the demands of the fascist Turkish state, but also started to become a partner in the fascist practices of the colonialist Turkish state.”

Kenan Ayaz was arrested on 15 March at the airport in the port city of Larnaca in Cyprus on the basis of a German extradition request for alleged PKK membership, as he was about to fly to Sweden for a family visit. Since then, the 49-year-old activist has been in custody. While a Cypriot court submitted the extradition request on 19 April, Ayaz appealed against this decision and the proceedings are ongoing. Ayaz spent twelve years in prison in Turkey because of his political identity.

In a statement through his lawyers, Ayaz told the Cypriot press on May 4 that: “I cannot remain silent on my deprivation of liberty through unfair and inhuman treatment. As the threat remains serious and concrete, I announce starting an indefinite hunger strike as of May 4th, 2023, which will continue until I see my demand answered. I denounce the unlawfulness of the extradition request and express my rejection of it.”