The Human Rights Association (IHD), the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV), the Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) closed by Decree, Libertarian Lawyers Platform (ÖHP), Ankara Bar Association Prison Commission, held a press conference related to hunger strikes and isolation.

The press conference, held at IHD Headquarters, was attended by ÖHP Ankara spokesperson Alişan Şahin, TİHV General Secretary Metin Bakkalcı, ÇHD member attorney Rıza Karaman, IHD Co-Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan and IHD Member Nuray Tercuman.

Türkdoğan began his speech by commemorating the victims at the 7th anniversary of the Roboski Massacre.

Türkdoğan reminded that DTK co-chair and HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven has reached day 51 of her hunger strike to demand the end of the isolation regime imposed on Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. The IHD co-chair added that 80 prisoners are on an indefinite hunger strike in 18 prisons.

Türkdoğan reminded that on 5 January 2019 hundreds of prisoners will go on an indefinite hunger strike. “Turkey is acting arbitrarily on the permission for prisoners to meet with their families. For F-type prisons, the Ministry of Justice issued a circular to enable that prisoners held in one and three-person rooms were allowed to meet each other for certain periods of time. According to the regulation, these prisoners should be able to communicate with each other for up to 10 hours per week in the jail’s common areas although unfortunately many problems are encountered in the practice. This is true especially in Silivri No. 9 Prison.

However, - said Türkdoğan - Abdullah Öcalan and the other three persons held in İmralı Prison are denied any contact with their families and lawyers. This situation is clearly against the Execution Law No. 5275 and regulations. The Ministry of Justice should immediately end this unlawful practice and respect the rights of prisoners in Imrali Prison.”

Türkdoğan recalled the coordination existing between the health organizations and the IHD, TİHV, ÖHP, ÇHP and bar associations’ commissions for prisons and human rights to prevent any serious rights violations.

TİHV Secretary General Metin Bakkalcı pointed out that the prison population has increased from 55,000 in 2005 to 260,000 today and added: “There seems to be serious problems with human rights in prisons. This isolation is unacceptable. This isolation is applied arbitrarily in Turkey's prisons and should be terminated immediately."

He added that the hunger strike is a way of self-expression and confirmed that vitamin B1 should be taken every day.

The spokesperson of ÖHP Ankara, Alişan Şahin said: “If the enforcement law is applied differently in each prison, the state loses its safety.”

ÇHD member lawyer Rıza Karaman remarked that hunger strike was a way of thought and expression. “We will support this action, which was initiated in order to break isolation”, he said.

Call for medical attention

Türkdoğan stated that a number of worrying situations have been found in prisons as to health and reminded of the following medical requirements which need to be fulfilled:

“* Hunger strikers should be provided with a minimum of 5 large cups of water, 2 teaspoons of salt, 5 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of carbonate and 500 mg of vitamin B1.

* It should be ensured that vitamin B1 is provided and delivered to the hunger strikers.

* During the hunger strike, any risk to the health of the hunger strikers should be eliminated. The materials used must be cleaned. They should be kept in a warm and humid environment without exposing them to excessive physical activity.

* The hunger strikers should be informed about how they will continue to use the drugs they need for their existing illnesses.

* The necessary information and facilities should be provided to the caregivers who help the hunger strikers. For this reason, an information note called ‘Issues to be considered during the hunger strike’ prepared by the Turkish Medical Association should be communicated to these persons and those who are on hunger strikes.

 * People should be kept under the supervision of a physician whose intervention they accept from the moment they start a hunger strike and be informed by their physicians about their health status every day.

* The hunger strike is terminated by the person's own will, during the transition to treatment and feeding, TTB personnel who had dealt with previous hunger strikes should be called in and should follow the protocol for ‘hunger strikers and subsequent care’.

* Hospital referrals and treatment: prisoners should not be handcuffed as it may cause vomiting and pressure sores.

* After the end of the hunger strike, during the transition to feeding the physician and health worker who may be needed should be determined in advance and these people should be given the necessary information about the treatment.

* Independent Medical Follow-up Committees, which are composed of related professional organizations, health and human rights organizations, are important in terms of prison visits and inspections, treatment and reducing complications. The necessary facilities should be provided for these delegations to enter prisons.

* In order not to endanger the health of prisoners who are on hunger strike indefinitely, especially Leyla Güven, we reiterate our call for the Ministry of Justice to take steps to remove isolation as soon as possible.”

Jails where hunger strike is underway

Türkdoğan listed the prisons where the hunger strike is being carried out as follows:

8 November

* 1 person in Diyarbakır D Type Closed Prison (Leyla Güven)

16 December

* Gebze Women’s Closed Prison: 5 Persons; Patnos L Type Closed Prison: 5 Persons; Elazığ F Type Prison: 3 Persons; Van F Type Prison: 5 Persons; Beşikdüzü Prison: 3 Persons; Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison: 4 Persons; Kandıra No. 1 F Type Prison: 6 Persons; Edirne Type F Prison: 1 person, Diyarbakır D Type Closed Prison: 5 Persons; Diyarbakır E Type Closed Prison: 4 Persons

20 December

* Burhaniye T Type Prison: 4 Women

26 December

* On 26 December, a woman prisoner who called her family stated that they had been on hunger strike for 6 days indefinitely. Kırıkkale F Type Prison: 5 Persons; Sakran Women’s Closed Prison: 3 Persons; Şakran No. 2 T Type Prison: 5 Persons; Kırıklar No 1 F Type Prison: 3 Persons; Kırıklar No. 2 F Type Prison: 2 Persons, Sincan Women’s Closed Prison: 3 Persons

28 December

* 12 detainees who continued their hunger strike for 29 days in Kırıkkale Prison, stated that they will continue the strike indefinitely from 28 December.