Intellectuals call on the Swedish government to act for Güven

A call by intellectuals living in Sweden was published on the State Television’s web page.

Swedish State Television's web page posted a call giving information about freedom of expression and human rights violations in Turkey and demanding the abolition of isolation against Abdullah Ocalan, while at the same time drawing attention to the hunger strike carried out by HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven and the other prisoners and activists.

The intellectuals who signed the call, stated that the health situation of HDP MP Leyla Güven has deteriorated, and urged Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström to take initiative together with the other foreign ministers of the European Union.

The call has been signed by painter Lenart Asp, journalist and writer Kurdo Baksi, Women’ Peace Initiative Latife Fegan, artist Stina Holmberg, theater artists Serpil Inanc, Kemal Görgü, director Katinka Kassius, doctor Tahire Koçtürk, Assyrian-Syriac politician Yaşar Küçükaslan, psychologist Vanessa Inglessi, Stockholm's former deputy Mayor Ann-Margarethe Livh and journalist-writer Ragıp Zarakolu.

Foreign affairs minister urged to act

Yekbun Alp, board member of the Uppsala Democratic Kurdish Community Center, and executive of the Left Party Uppsala, called on the Swedish government to show sensibility in an article titled “Margot Wallström should raise her voice.”

In the article Alp reminded that Leyla Güven, then on day 91 or her hunger strike, “has put her life at risk to demand democracy, human rights and peace. Güven - adds the article - wants the end of the isolation regime imposed on Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has not met with his lawyers.”

Alp called on Foreign Minister Margot Wallström to raise her voice and call for an end to isolation.