Strasbourg hunger strike: Day 50

The doctors try to get the activists to rest as much as possible and to avoid long visits with people coming to express their support.

Yüksel Koç and Kerem Solhan, two of the 14 activists on hunger strike in Strasbourg are suffering further health problems.

The two activists had been taken to hospital last week when their condition worsened.

After the two activists had gone back to the Kurdish Community Centre where the hunger strike is taking place, news that the health of another hunger striker, Gülistan Ike, had worsened was broken.

Hunger strikers are demanding the end of isolation against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and they are now on their 50th day of fast.

Doctor Fahrettin Gülşen and his colleagues have been closely monitoring any change in the health of activists.

The doctors try to get the activists to rest as much as possible and to avoid long visits with people coming to express their support.

Sixth medical bulletin

Doctor Fahrettin Gülşen gave details of the sixth screening he has carried out on hunger strikers. He specifically highlighted the situation of Yüksel Koç, Kerem Solhan and Gülistan Ike.

Speaking of the situation of Koç and Solhan, doctor Gülşen said: “The general screening has confirmed problems with Mr. Yüksel Koç and Mr. Kerem Solhan. Mr. Yüksel Koç is having a hard time because of the problems in his lung. We cannot do anything right now because he does not accept treatment. We keep him under observation. Should he experience a new crisis, should he experience difficulty in breathing, we will have to take him back to the hospital.”

As to the situation of Kerem Solhan, doctor Gülşen said: “He has problems in his stomach and intestines. And these are for us cause of concern. We may have to take him back to the hospital, should his situation worsen.”

Talking about Gülistan Ike, doctor Gülşen said: “There are problems with her pulse rate and low blood pressure. In addition one of the veins in her head shows inflammatory symptoms.”

Like the other two hunger strikers, said doctor Gülşen, Ike is under control and may need to be hospitalised again.

Doctor Gülşen confirmed that the other activists are experiencing different problems and unexpected health issues could arise at any moment.

Special attention is given to cardiac and kidney problems.

Control on visits

Reminding that the hunger strike activists are now on their 50 day of fast, doctor Fahrettin Gülşen said that strict rules must be respected, especially as far as visits are concerned.

Visits are causing emotional stress at present, and although good for the morale and spirit of the activists they are also a vehicle for germs and bacteria.

In particular, said doctor Gülşen, handshake and hugging are becoming a problem as they could actually favour transmission of germs to the already highly debilitated activists.

Doctor Gülşen asked visitors to be very conscious of the risk to the health of the hunger strikers they could involuntarily pose.