Day 196 for Leyla Guven, day 23 for death fasts

DTK Co-chair Leyla Guven is on day 196 of her hunger strike demanding an end to the isolation in Imrali, and the prisoners on death fasts are on day 23 of their protest.

Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari MP Leyla Guven is on day 196 of her hunger strike that she started in the Diyarbakir Type E Prison demanding an end to the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s leader Abdullah Ocalan and continued in her home after she was released from prison.

PRISONERS: WE WILL CONTINUE THE RESISTANCE

Following the press conference held on May 6 by Ocalan’s lawyers after they met with the Kurdish People’s Leader on May 2 in Imrali, a statement was released in the name of the prisoners. The statement said the AKP and MHP alliance is implementing policies of special war to prolong the isolation and to break the resistance and that they won’t give up the resistance until the demands are met.

RESISTANCE CONTINUES IN PRISONS

HDP Member Nasir Yagiz is on day 183 of his hunger strike in Hewler, while 14 activists in Strasbourg and Imam Sis in Newport, Wales are on day 157. The prisoners who started on December 16 are on day 158, Yusuf Iba in Toronto, Canada is on day 130, Fadile Tok in Maxmur is on day 123 and Herem Mahmud in Kelar is on day 88 of their hunger strikes, which spread throughout all prisons on March 1.

Merwan Memduh Ozdemir is on day 9 of his death fast in the Mesopotamia Workers’ Association in Sulaymaniyah.

30 PRIONERS ON DEATH FAST

Asli Dogan and Ardil Cesme joined the protest from the Gebze Closed Women’s Prison after thousands of prisoners went on hunger strikes in all prisons. They and Zozan Cicek, Sukran Aydin and Nesrin Akgul from the Bakirkoy Closed Women’s Prison, Ahmet Topkaya, Ferhat Turgay, Abdulhalik Kaplan, Enver Donmez and Ergin Akhan from the Diyarbakir Type D Closed Prison, and Ihsan Bulut, Ozhan Ceyhan, Vedat Ozagar, Erol Cengiz and Ahmet Anigi from the Van High Security Closed Prison have decidded to turn their hunger strikes into death fasts on April 30. Today is the 23rd day of the first group of death fasters.

Another 15 people joined the death fasts on May 10. Yasar Cinbas, Muhammed Inal, Diyadin Akdemir and Engin Kahraman from the Kandira Prison, Ibrahim Dogan, Ahmet Emin Eren and Mustafa Tastan from the Bolu Type F Prison, Senar Efe, Burhan Sik, Faysal Atak and Safii Kayhan from the Patnos Prison, Resat Ozdil from Tekirday Prison No.1 and Zeki Bayhan and Yilmaz Yildiz from Tekirdag Prison No.2, and Sait Ozturk from the Van High Security Prison continue the death fast they went on on the 13th day of their protest.

3 MPS ON HUNGER STRIKES IN HDP OFFICES

HDP MPs Dersim Dag, Tayip Temel and Murat Sarisac continue their hunger strike in the HDP Diyarbakir Province Offices since March 3.

Sedat Akin went on a hunger strike on January 7 in the Erzincan Type T Closed Prison he was held in, and continues his hunger strike in his home in Batman after his release. Gurbet Ektiren started on January 15 in the Bakirkoy Prison and continues in her home in Derik, Mardin. Ihsan Sinmis (56) continues the hunger strike he went on in the Silivri Prison on March 1 in his home in Kucukcekmece, Istanbul. Murat Aksin started his hunger strike in the Mardin Type E Closed Prison on March 15 and continues in his home in Derik. Mahsun Sen started in Mardin Type E Closed Prison on January 5 and continues in his home in Derik. Former HDP Ceylanpinar District Co-chair Hizni Kilinc continues his hunger strike in Ceylanpinar after his release. Ismet Yildiz who was arrested for launching a hunger strike in the HDP Diyarbakir offices, Sevican Yasar, Salih Tekin and Bilal Ozgezer all continue their hunger strikes in their homes after they were releasead from prisons.

SACRIFICE ACTIONS AGAINST THE ISOLATION

Ugur Sakar set himself on fire in front of the court house in Krefeld, Germany on February 20 and was martyred on March 22 at the hospital he had been receiving treatment in. Zulkuf Gezen carried out a sacrifice action against the isolation on March 17 in the Tekirdag Type F Prison No.2, Ayten Becet on March 23 in the Gebze Closed Women’s Prison, Zehra Saglam on March 24 in the Oltu Type T Closed Prison, Medya Cinar on March 25 in the Mardin Type E Closed Prison, Yonca Akici on March 9 in the Sakran Women’s Closed Prison, Sirac Yuksek on April 2 in the Osmaniye Type T Prison No.2, and Mahsum Pamay on April 5 in the Elazig High Security Prison No.1.