Families of the prisoners on hunger strike and politicians from the DBP (Democratic Regions' Party), HDP (Peoples' Democratic Party), TJA (Free Women's Movement) and DTK (Democratic Society Congress) announced starting a hunger strike in a press briefing in the DBP Amed Provincial Headquarters.

“Silence is complicity in deaths. We will not be silent” read a banner, in both Turkish and Kurdish, hanged in the hall where the two-day alternate hunger strike was launched by the first group of 20 people today.

Participants of the hunger strike are wearing t-shirts with an image of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the “Isolation is a crime against humanity” writing on them.

HDP Amed Parliamentarian Sibel Yiğitalp, DBP Deputy Co-chair Gülcihan Şimşek, many HDP and DBP administrators, and relatives of the prisoners on a hunger strike visited the DBP building to show solidarity with the hunger strikers. People chanted the slogans “Prisoners are our honor,” “Long Live Leader Apo” and “Long Live Prison Resistance.”

Speaking on behalf of the 20 people launching the hunger strike, DBP Deputy Co-chair Mehmet Arslan recalled prisoners are on hunger strike for more than 50 days ago in order for the isolation of Öcalan and rights violations in Turkish prisons to end. Arslan noted that the prisoners also protest the state's attacks on civilians, and pointed out their solidarity and support for the inmates joining the hunger strike.

Arslan said “The pressure inside and outside prisons is so heavy that they don't want the people to breathe even.

Failure to form a strong organization could result in bitter consequences. Today, we are joining the resistance of prisoners so that bitter consequences do not occur and policies of oppression end. Kurdish people have always taken responsibility and played their role in the struggle against oppression.”

“PRISONERS' DEMANDS SHOULD BE ACCEPTED IMMEDIATELY”

Arslan recalled that they launched hunger strike in solidarity with the prisoners on hunger strike, and continued: “Prisoners' demands should be accepted immediately. Something must be done before people die. We support the resistance of prisoners; their demands are also our demands. The AKP should abandon its policies that impose surrender upon Kurdish people.”

Arslan emphasized that the Kurdish people and prisoners will not bow to AKP's policies, and underlined that: “Our people will show this truth with their resistance. We warn the AKP government; necessary steps should be taken immediately before deaths occur in prisons. We must spread this resistance in order to be the voice of prisoners. Today, we are beginning a 2 day-long alternate hunger strike in Amed. Our action will spread and grow until we achieve results.”

“WE WILL RESIST UNTIL THE DEMANDS ARE MET”

Another hunger strike participant Ronahi Pala, relative of a prisoner on hunger strike, said “We are subject to such mistreatment during prison visits that we look forward to leaving that place. Imagine what the prisoners are being through there! We don't want any more deaths. The demands of our children should be met immediately. As families, we are with our children. We will resist here until their demands are accepted.”