In a message sent through her lawyers, Sebahat Tuncel stated that she would go on hunger strike as of tomorrow and that the prisoners were trying to pave the way for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question.

Tuncel stated: "The Kurdish political movement and Kurdish women have been struggling for years for the solution of the Kurdish question and the democratization of Turkey. The anti-Kurdish policy of the government, which ignores the language, identity and culture of the Kurdish people and uses all means of force and violence against their existence both inside and outside the country, has made Turkey no longer a state of law."

Sebahat Tuncel stated that drugs, the mafia and violence are rampant, and society is suffering from moral and political collapse. Remarking that the AKP-MHP alliance is trying all kinds of methods to keep itself in power, she said: "The recent developments have once again revealed that they do not hesitate to sacrifice young people for their own power, that they lack ethical and moral values and social values to the extent that they turn the death of young people into election material. The people of Turkey need to see this reality. The way to put an end to this decay, corruption and economic-political crisis is to recognize the existence of the Kurdish people living in Turkey, and to take friendship and solidarity with the Kurdish people living in North-East Syria, Iraqi Federal Kurdistan and Iranian Kurdistan as a basis."

Sebahat Tuncel pointed out that the Turkish state is attacking Kurds and wherever Kurds have made gains, "Turkey is attacking wherever there are Kurdish gains. It occupies North East Syria and the Federal Kurdistan region. In Turkey's attacks on both Rojava and the Federal Kurdistan region, civilians are harmed and the ecological balance of the Kurdistan geography is disrupted. We condemn the attacks and call on Turkey to abandon these policies."

Sebahat Tuncel stated that the Turkish state offers Kurds and other peoples nothing but war and death and said, "There is the option of fraternity, friendship and coexistence through promoting life. The way to do this is dialogue and negotiation. In this regard, the Kurdish People's Leader, Mr Abdullah Öcalan, said that he was ready for a solution and that he was looking for an interlocutor when he had the opportunity to address the public. It is not the Kurds who are running away from a solution, but Turkey. The policy of denial, annihilation and assimilation that has been implemented against Kurds for centuries is being updated and implemented by the AKP-MHP-Ergenekon fascist alliance."

Sebahat Tuncel continued:

"The response of the working class and laborers of Turkey to the calls for peace and solution coming from the Kurdish people, who are in favor of peace and solution, will force the government to take steps in this regard. Everyone should assume responsibility for peace. As Kurdish political prisoners behind bars, we assume this responsibility. However, what we can do in prison is limited. That is why we are putting our bodies on hunger strike, saying 'Freedom for Öcalan, Democratic Solution to the Kurdish Question'. We invite you to organize and struggle for peace and solution around hunger strikes. We can turn the darkness into light by raising the struggle from the inside with you, from the outside, and we can tear down this wall built between the peoples. As of 28 December, we are starting an alternating hunger strike in Sincan Women's Prison with Mukkades Kabak and Melek Kartal, with whom I share the same ward with. We take this opportunity to salute the ongoing hunger strikes in prison.

Another option is possible. Let's socialise peace and freedom through struggle and solidarity. We are entering a new year. It will be a year that will be welcomed by those who struggle for a new beginning by confronting and coming to terms with the realities of Roboskî, Maraş and the unsolved murders, against those who want to carry the burden of the past, the deadlocks, the politics of massacre and death into the future. Local elections will be determined as a result of this struggle. I celebrate all our people and women on the New Year."

Hunger strike in Turkish prisons

Members of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) and PAJK (Party of Free Women in Kurdistan) imprisoned in Turkey went on hunger strike on 27 November in support of the international campaign "Freedom for Öcalan, A Political Solution to the Kurdish Question". According to the prisoners' representative Deniz Kaya, the hunger strike is to be carried out in alternating groups from 27 November to 15 February, the anniversary of the international conspiracy against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. Sick and elderly prisoners as well as prisoners with less than two years remaining on their sentence will not be included in the action.

Deniz Kaya announced that the prisoners will also publicise the campaign's demands by writing letters to foreign representations, human rights institutions, the media, political parties and non-governmental organisations, and will regularly ask the Turkish Ministry of Justice about Abdullah Öcalan's isolation on the prison island of Imrali. In addition, they will remind the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) of its neglected responsibility. The ongoing court proceedings will be used to denounce the isolation in public spaces and raise awareness about it, said Deniz Kaya and called on the prisoners to act collectively and to refrain from individual forms of action.