Hundreds of people demanded the release of ill prisoners and Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan in the march TUHAD-DER (Solidarity Association of Prisoners' Families) staged to Van F Type Closed Prison on Friday.

Reading the press release in front of the prison, TUHAD-DER Van Branch Chair Ahmet Aygün criticized the Forensic Medicine Institution for not paying attention to the reports of 500 ill prisoners currently being held in Turkish jails. Aygün noted that 127 out of 500 ill prisoners were in critical situation.

Speaking after, BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) Van deputy Özdal Üçer pointed out that the AKP government has taken no steps since the resolution process started on the Newroz Day, 21 March, of 2013. Üçer said that the release of ill prisoners should be the first step the government shall take in the process.

The speeches were followed by a sit-in.