As in many places in Europe, the Alliance of Democratic Forces in Europe (Avrupa Demokratik Güç Birliği, ADGB) is protesting in Basel for the rights of political prisoners in Turkish jails. A vigil was launched in Basel on Monday to draw attention in particular to the situation of ill prisoners, who are practically left to die by the Turkish judiciary.

Activists have been carrying out the vigil in the city centre. A delegation from the Swiss BastA party joined the protest on Wednesday. The general secretary of the party, Franziska Stier, said in her speech: "We know that these 7 suspicious deaths in Turkish prisons are not accidental." She blamed the prison administration in particular for the deaths of the prisoners.

Maya Heuschmann from BastA said that, in fact, a new amnesty in Turkey was about the release of non-political prisoners in order to fill the prisons with Kurds, HDP members, socialists and revolutionaries. "We will pursue the serious legal violations in this process."

The vigil will continue until tomorrow.