Demo for vegan prisoner in Ankara
Demo for vegan prisoner in Ankara
A demonstration has been held in Ankara on Wednesday to support prisoner Osman Evcan. Evcan has been on hunger strike since 4 November.
Friends of Evcan have staged a noisy and musical demo to draw attention to the situation Evcan has been living in Kýrýkkale F Type prison where he is denied his right to have food appropriate to his food habit. Evcan is strictly vegan and therefore will not eat meat or anything deriving from animal product.
Osman Evcan's friends have launched a campaign on internet (http://osmanayemek.tumblr.com/english) where there is also a petition to sign. The support campaign is called the Campaign for Vegan Food to Osman Evcan has been started, but so far, the petitions to the authorities by Evcan himself and by the Campaign have been ignored. A member of parliament, Melda Onur, submitted a written question to Ministry of Interior in the National Assembly asking as to why Evcan’s issue is being ignored and not considered. She visited Evcan in prison, but the prison authorities wouldn’t let her give the food she brought for Evcan.
WHO IS OSMAN EVCAN
Evcan is a political prisoner in Turkey kept in high security solitary confinement prison. Due to his political and ethical convictions, Evcan became a vegan (strict vegetarian who avoids all animal products) eight years ago. Since the Turkish authorities do not respect his right to pursue a vegan diet, Evcan has been suffering from variety of health issues as he is not getting enough vegan food to eat and he is unable to pursue a balanced diet. In a letter he wrote from prison, Evcan mentions prison authorities giving him food in an unhygienic state and there have been instances where harmful additives and chemicals have been intentionally added to his food. In his last letter on the 6th of November 2011, Evcan added that on an arbitrary basis, prison officers have not being providing him with escorts, so that he misses medical appointments. Having already boycotted the prison food and managing by purchasing his own food at prison cafeteria, he says in his last letter that he needs to strengthen his attitude to be heard. Therefore he started an on-going hunger strike on 4 November 2011 for an indefinite time until his demands are met.
Friends of Evcan have staged a noisy and musical demo to draw attention to the situation Evcan has been living in Kýrýkkale F Type prison where he is denied his right to have food appropriate to his food habit. Evcan is strictly vegan and therefore will not eat meat or anything deriving from animal product.
Osman Evcan's friends have launched a campaign on internet (http://osmanayemek.tumblr.com/english) where there is also a petition to sign. The support campaign is called the Campaign for Vegan Food to Osman Evcan has been started, but so far, the petitions to the authorities by Evcan himself and by the Campaign have been ignored. A member of parliament, Melda Onur, submitted a written question to Ministry of Interior in the National Assembly asking as to why Evcan’s issue is being ignored and not considered. She visited Evcan in prison, but the prison authorities wouldn’t let her give the food she brought for Evcan.
WHO IS OSMAN EVCAN
Evcan is a political prisoner in Turkey kept in high security solitary confinement prison. Due to his political and ethical convictions, Evcan became a vegan (strict vegetarian who avoids all animal products) eight years ago. Since the Turkish authorities do not respect his right to pursue a vegan diet, Evcan has been suffering from variety of health issues as he is not getting enough vegan food to eat and he is unable to pursue a balanced diet. In a letter he wrote from prison, Evcan mentions prison authorities giving him food in an unhygienic state and there have been instances where harmful additives and chemicals have been intentionally added to his food. In his last letter on the 6th of November 2011, Evcan added that on an arbitrary basis, prison officers have not being providing him with escorts, so that he misses medical appointments. Having already boycotted the prison food and managing by purchasing his own food at prison cafeteria, he says in his last letter that he needs to strengthen his attitude to be heard. Therefore he started an on-going hunger strike on 4 November 2011 for an indefinite time until his demands are met.
