A group of artists, politicians and journalists living in Europe read a press statement in front of the Berlin Parliament.

The statement drew attention to isolation in Imrali and the hunger strike led by HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven and later picked up by hundreds of prisoners and activists in Turkey, Kurdistan and Europe.

The statement reads: “Leyla Güven, who reached the 84th day of her hunger strike, has also reached a critical stage in her health.

Leyla demands the removal of isolation against Kurdish people’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, as the way to solve the Kurdish question in Turkey, to end violence and to open the way to a peace. Hundreds of elected politicians, civil society organization representatives and artists, among whom we find Selma Irmak and Sebahat Tuncel, who share this humanitarian, democratic and legal demand, are also on hunger strike in many centers from Diyarbakır to Erbil, from London to Strasbourg.”

On the other hand, the statement adds: “Mr. Öcalan has not been able to meet with his lawyers since July 2011 and with political delegation since April 2015. The heavy isolation imposed on Imrali and the hard war conditions experienced in Turkey cannot be considered separated from each other.

HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven pointed out this reality when she started a hunger strike and said that her action served peace.”

The demand of Leyla Güven, says the statement, “has received significant support not only from the dynamics of the internal democracy, but also from the international community and international institutions, particularly the Council of Europe. Lastly, 50 Nobel laureates, among the most prominent people in the world, expressed their support for Güven in a statement they released.”

However, says the statement “Turkey is trying to address this with the undemocratic and single-minded approach of the Erdogan government which considers isolation imposed on Imrali as a way to continue the war, and therefore prefers to keep silent on the demands highlighted by Leyla Güven.”

European Institutions should take their responsibility

The statement adds: “We, the undersigned, urge the European Union’s related institutions, the Council of Europe’s CPT, and the German Federal Government that has close political and economic links with Turkey as well as to opposition parties, United Nations representatives, international human rights organizations and media to take their responsibility.

As politicians, intellectuals, journalists, writers, artists, academics living in Europe we invite, primarily our German friends, and all those who support peace, democracy, and freedom as Turkish and Kurdish friends to take responsibility."

SIGNATORIES

Abdulkadir Budak (former councillor of Cizre Municipality), Adem Karaçoban (journalist), Ahmet Kahraman (journalist-writer), Ahmet Yıldırım (former HDP deputy), Ali Çatakçın ( Dersim Reconstruction Society President), Ali Matur (musician), Ali Özşerik (journalist), Ali Rıza Çiçekli (former DBP Sur district co-chair), Ali Şimşek (politician), Alican Kaya (journalist), Amele (theater actress), Armanç (musician), Arzu Bozbey (Den Haag), Aydın Bolkan (journalist), Aysel Avesta (journalist), Aysel Güler (intellectual), Aziz Oğur (journalist), Aziz Tunç (writer), Barış Yeşil (lawyer), Bengi Agire (musician), Berbang (musician), Berivan Aslan (former MP for Austrian Green Party), Berşan Berti (musician), Besime Konca (HDP former MP), Besra Güler (intellectual), Binefş Roj (musician), Bülent Turan (artist), Cafer Darıcı (educator), Cafer Selçuk (former HDP Istanbul administrator), Cafer Tar (writer), Cahit Mervan (journalist), Cansu Özdemir (Hamburg Left Party MP), Cemal Turan (journalist), Çetin Gürer, (academic), Çetin Oraner (musician), Çetin Zilan (musician), Cewad Merwani (musician), Cüneyt Caniş (former HDP Party Assembly member), Demir Çelik (former HDP deputy), Deniz Deman (musician), Derweşé Serhedé (musician), Dilan (musician), Dilan (musician), Dilek Öcalan (former HDP MP), Dilovan (musician), Dino Baz (musician), Diyar (musician), Elif Akgül Ateş (former DBP Siirt branch co-chair), Emrullah Bingöl (former DBP Istanbul branch co-chair), Erdal Er (journalist), Farqin Azad (musician), Fatma Sayar (lawyer), Faysal Sarıyıldız (former HDP MP), Fehim Işık (journalist), Ferda Çetin (journalist), Ferhat Tarhan (former DBP Executive Board member), Filiz Kalaycı (lawyer), Filiz Koçali (former HDP Executive Board member), Fırat Anlı (DBP Diyarbakır co-mayor), Firaz Baran (writer), Fuat Kav (writer), Füsun Erdoğan (journalist-writer), Garip Nurhak(musician), Günay Aslan (journalist), Günay Darıcı (edıcator), Hasan Vuran (former DBP Executive Board member), Hasip Kaplan (former HDP MP), Hatip Dicle (Imralı Delegation member), Haydar Işık (writer), Hayko Bağdat (journalist), Hayri Ateş (writer), Hekim Sefkan (musician), Helin Evirim Sammer (German Left Party MP), Hesen Şerif (musician), Heval Aslan (journalist), Hozan Aydın (musician), Hozan Aydın (musician), Hozan Cömert (musician), Hozan Şemdin (musician), Hozan Serdar (musician), Hozan Xemdar (musician), Hülya Emeç (journalist), Hülya Yer (former DBP Dersim branch co-chair), Hüseyin Narlı (journalist), Hüseyin Parmakçı (DTK member), İbrahim Çiçek (journalist), İhsan Çelik (former DBP Party Assembly member), İlhami Erdoğan (cartoonist), İrfan Cüre (journalist), İsmail Özen (sportsman), İsmet Kayhan (journalist), Jiyan Arjin (musician), K. Çiya Hikmet (musician), Lami Özgen (former president of KESK), Leman Stehn (musician), Lerzan Jandil (writer), Leyla Birlik (former HDP MP), Leyla İmret (former co-mayor of Cizre), Lezgin Botan (former HDP MP), Lokman (musician), Lokman Gudiwe (journalist), M. Ali Doyan (Ceylanpınar HDP former administrator), Mahir Üzmez (journalist), Mahmut Bayram (former co-mayor of Kayapınar), Mahmut Büyükbayram (BDP Bağlar former administrator), Mahmut Şakar (lawyer), Martin Dolzer (MDL Hamburg Left Party), Mazhar Zümrüt (former DBP Party Assembly member), Mehmet Bayrak (writer), Mehmet Emin Adıyaman (former HDP MP), Melikşah Teke (former co-mayor of Silvan), Memo Gül (musician), Memo Şahin (journalist), Merdan (musician), Meryem Çağ (unionist), Mikail Karakuş (former HDP Diyarbakır branch administrator), Mizgin Özdemir (musician), Murat Vargün (lawyer), Mustafa Demir (musician), Navdar (musician), Nazan Üstündağ (academic), Necat Sunar (journalist), Nejmeddin Xulami (musician), Netim Taş (former HDP Ankara administrator), Nezahat Ergüneş (activist), Nursel Aydoğan (former HDP MP), Orhan Şansal (former co-mayor of Suruç), Osman Baydemir (former HDP MP), Ozan Emekçi (musician), Özden Sever (musician), Peywan Arjin (musician), Rauf Keleş (musician), Recep Maraşlı (writer), Sabiha Gündüz (former HDP Nusaybin branch co-chair), Seda Aktaş (former HDP Local Administrations member), Seher Benazir Kılıç (Adana-Kurdi-Der), Seher Stran (musician), Selim Fırat (Yeni Özgür Politika Yazarı), Serdar Azad (musician), Serdar Karakoç (journalist), Seyidxan (musician), Sheida Ghavami (musician), Sibel Yiğitalp (former HDP MP for Diyarbakır), Şiyar Munzur (musician), Songül Çelik (former co-president of Democratic Alevi Union), Şükrü Yavuz (former co-chair of DBP Van branch), Suna Ulutürken (former deputy co-mayor of Viranşehir), Teslim Töre (writer), Titalé Feyzo (musician), Tuba Hezer (former HDP MP), Tülay Yıldırım (musician), Xanemir Aryan (musician), Xelil Xemgin (musician), Xemgin Birhat (musician), Yüksel Akgül (HDP Diyarbakır branch administrator), Zahir Loran (musician), Zarife Atik (former HDP Party Assembly member), Zeki Çetin (former co-chair of DBP Bağlar branch), Ziya Ulusoy (Y. Özgür Politika newspaper writer).