ANTALYA - IHD Antalya Branch Co-Chair Deniz Yıldırım stated that disciplinary punishment was given to prisoners on hunger strike and said: "Isolation is an issue for all of us. We must not leave prisoners alone."

 

While there has been no news from PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is held in İmralı Type F High Security Prison, for 34 months, all requests for opinions from lawyers and families are blocked on the grounds of "disciplinary penalties".

Against this, thousands of prisoners in prisons in Turkey and Kurdistan continue the rotating hunger strike that they started on November 27 within the scope of the "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, solution to the Kurdish issue" campaign.

 

Against the Imrali isolation, intellectuals, writers, directors, actors, artists and musicians published a declaration titled "Let's Be a Voice for Peace" in Istanbul and Amed on January 7, expressing their demands for peace against the war, demanding an end to the isolation and a solution to the Kurdish issue.

 

'DEMANDS BENEFİTS THE ENTIRE SOCIETY '

 

Human Rights Association (IHD) Antalya Branch Co-Chair Deniz Yıldırım stated that the prisoners in Alanya Type L Closed Prison, Antalya Type L Closed Prison, Antalya Type S Closed Prison and Antalya High Security Prison continued their hunger strike. Stating that the prisoners want the laws and universal agreements against isolation to be implemented, and that this demand is very humane. 

Yıldırım stated that the hunger strike initiated by the prisoners is also a right to peace. Yıldırım said: "Demand to abolishing the isolation on Mr. Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı and solving the Kurdish issue is a demand that benefits the entire society. It is also a demand defending the right to peace. This isolation has neither a humanitarian nor a legal aspect; it is against universal law. Insisting on this issue is also an issue of political tension in Turkey. Again, a policy that paved the way for war. The law is not applied in İmralı."

 

'DISCIPLINARY PUNISHMENTS ARE GIVEN TO PRISONERS'

 

Noting that political prisoners who went on hunger strike in Antalya were given some disciplinary punishments such as solitary confinement, ban on visitors and social events, Yıldırım emphasized that hunger strikes must be evaluated within the scope of freedom of expression and disciplinary punishments must be ended. Stating that the prisoners were very determined in these protests during their one-on-one meetings in the prison as an association, Yıldırım said: “If the demands are not met, the prisoners will turn this protest into an indefinite and irreversible one. I hope the demands of the prisoners will be accepted before the hunger strike turns into indefinite."

 

'WE MUST NOT LEAVE PRISONERS ALONE'

 

Adding that the way for democracy will be opened in the country with the end of the isolation, Yıldırım touched upon the " Let's Be a Voice for Peace " action initiated on this issue. Yıldırım said: “Because the failure to solve the Kurdish issue prevented freedom of expression in the country and also caused the prisons to become full. We think that some demands must not be placed on the shoulders of prisoners. All democratic forces have to embrace this issue. The isolation in İmralı means blocking the solution of an issue such as the Kurdish issue. Prisoners already have issues such as access to health and isolation. Isolation is an issue for all of us. We must not leave the prisoners alone in this action they have taken to solve the issue."