Doctors issued a warning that the activists in Strasbourg, France who have been on a hunger strike for 107 days against the isolation imposed upon Ocalan could permanently lose several organs and are in danger due to possible cardiac complications.
As the indefinite nonalternating hunger strike by 14 members of the Freedom for Ocalan Initiative continuen on day 107 in Strasbourg, the activists’ health continues to deteriorate. The hunger strikers spend almost all day in bed but still experience severe insomnia.
Doctors say even if the hunger strike ends today, the damage to their internal organs could result in serious complications. The most concerning issues are muscle atrophy, cardiac issues, insomnia, and hunger based damage on the nervous system.
One of the doctors who have monitored the hunger strikers daily, Fahrettin Gulsen, spoke about the 15th general checkup the activists were given.
MUSCLE ATROPHY ADVANCES, JOINT PAINS ARE INCREASING
Dr. Fahrettin Gulsen said the most significant health issue the hunger strikers suffer is the intense weight loss and the subsequent atrophy in muscle tissue, which happens due to the body running out of fatty tissue to consume.
The body first uses the fat in the body during a hunger strike, then the lipids in the marrows and the muscle tissue.
Dr. Gulsen said the activists suffer from more joint pains due to liquid deprivation in the marrow and that most activists have issues with their skin flaking off.
Dr. Fahrettin Gulsen added that the hunger strikers also have stomach and abdominal pains due to the empty stomach causing gas.
The activists also suffer from inflammation in the respiratory track and Kerem Solhan has an infection in his ears.
DANGEROUS INSOMNIA
All 14 activists have problems taking in liquids, but the most visible and possibly most life threatening symptom now is the insomnia. Dr. Gulsen said the activists sleep 2 hours a day on some days, and not at all on others. Their nervous systems have suffered damage due to the lack of sleep.
Dr. Gulsen said the hunger causes the syndrome known as Wernicke-Korsakoff (WKS) and that the extreme strain on the nervous system causes permanent issues.
Insomnia also causes extreme headaches, irritability and fatigue.
THE HUNGER STRIKERS HAVE ALREADY LOST MANY ORGANS
Dr. Gulsen stressed that the hunger strikers can be considered to have already lost several organs, and pointed to the cramps and twitches that occur due to kidney failure and the consumption of cardiac fatty tissue.
CARDIAC ISSUES COULD RESULT IN COMPLICATIONS AT ANY TIME
Dr. Gulsen said the activists will have permanent arrhythmia and blood pressure issues, which they have had for a while now. The cardiac issues the activists have are dangerous according to Dr. Gulsen, who said: “We regret to say that the cardiac issues could result in complications at any time.”
“DEMANDS SHOULD BE HEEDED AND A SOLUTION SHOULD BE FOUND”
Dr. Fahrettin Gulsen said the only thing the doctors do is to examine the hunger strikers and inform them and the public about their health: “The humane demand that the hunger strikers put forth should be heeded at this point. These people shouldn’t be left to die like this. Their demands should be heeded and a solution should be found. Otherwise it will be too late.”
Dr. Gulsen called on national French and international health organizations and said they can contact him or the other doctors to examine the hunger strikers where they are.
14 members of the Freedom for Ocalan Initiative had joined on December 17, 2018 the indefinite nonalternating hunger strike started by Leyla Guven on November 8. The 14 activists are: Yuksel Koc, Dilek Ocalan, Gulistan Ike, Nurgul Basaran, Mustafa Sarikaya, Mehmet Nimet Sevim, Mohamad Ghaderi, Kardo Bokani, Ekrem Yapici, Deniz Surgut, Ramazan Imir, Ayvaz Ece, Agit Ural and Kerem Solhan.
