Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) launched a sit-in in the Parliament to draw attention to the hunger strikes and death fasts that started with Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair and Hakkari MP Leyla Guven, who has been on a hunger strike for 174 days demanding an end to the isolation isolation imposed upon Ocalan.

HDP Group Deputy Chairpersons Fatma Kurtulan and Saruhan Oluc were among the participants, who put on vests that read “Let Leyla Guven Live” and launched a sit-in protest in front of the Gate No.1 where Parliamentary Speaker Mustafa Sentop’s office is.

Group Deputy Chairwoman Fatma Kurtulan said Leyla Guven has been on a hunger strike for almost 6 months and added that they started the demonstration to draw attention to the hunger strikes. Kurtulan said: “Leyla Guven launched a hunger strike, highlighting a lawful demand. She stressed that the isolation imposed upon Mr. Ocalan must end and that isolation is the biggest obstacle on the path to peace and justice. This protest spread into all prisons. And, despite our repeated calls to avoid deaths and caskets, 8 people have lost their lives. Now 15 people announce that they are going on a death fast. We are calling on the public for sensitivity to the issue to draw attention to the matter and urging the Parliament to take responsibility and Ministry of Justice to take actio, so Leyla Guven can live.”