Thousands of Kurdish political prisoners who have ended the hunger strike across Turkey on Sunday have been undergoing medical examinations in prisons and those in need of further healthcare being treated at hospitals. Prisoners ended the indefinite-irreversible hunger strike after a call by Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Leader Abdullah Öcalan for an end to the protest late Saturday. No striker has been reported as being in critical condition.

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair welcomed the ending of the fast at his speech in the district of Varto (Muþ) on Sunday, saying that; “We are happy about the strikes ending without any deaths. After this point, the Prime Minister should handle the issue more delicately and he should first of all stop using an insulting language against our people and values since the language and manner are the first things to be changed as a step to a solution. Our intention is to pave the way for peace and negotiations”.

BDP co-chair called on the government to end the isolation in Imralý and to re-start negotiations so that the problem could be resolved before leading to further deaths. He said the hunger strikes have opened a very important period and added; “The Kurdish people are ready for both resistance and dialogue. It is the government and the prime minister that shall make a choice”.