NEWS CENTER - The hunger strike prisoners started against the isolation on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan continues on day 181. The hunger strike action in Maxmur is on day 160 while it is day 143 in Greece.

 

An indefinite and rotating hunger strike was started by the prisoners on November 27 with the demand of ending the continued isolation on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan who is held in İmralı Type F Closed Prison for 21 years. The hunger strike taken over by the 37th group continues on its 181st day.

 

HUNGER STRIKE IN MAXMUR ON DAY 160

 

On December 18, a hunger strike was launched in Mahmur Camp in the Federated Kurdistan Region under the leadership of women against the Imrali isolation in support of the hunger strikers in the prisons of Turkey. The hunger strike carried out in the Maxmur Martyr Families Association is on its 160th day.

 

DAY 143 IN GREECE

 

An indefinite non-rotating hunger strike action was launched in Greece's Lavrio Camp against the isolation imposed on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and in support of the prisoners in Turkey. The hunger strike in the camp is led by the Revolutionary Youth Movement (TCŞ-Tevgera Ciwanên Şoreşger), the Kurdish Women's Movement in Europe (Tevgera Jinên Kurdistan a Ewropa) and Navenda Çanda Kurdistan (Kurdish Cultural Center).

 

2012: 68 DAYS

 

On September 12, 2012, at the anniversary of the 1980 military coup, a hunger strike was launched in all prisons against the aggravated isolation on Öcalan. The 68-day action has ended with the call of PKK Leader Öcalan. As a result of the protests, on 3 January 2013, members of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Ahmet Türk and Ayla Akat Ata went to İmralı Island and met with Öcalan. After this first meeting, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and the state delegation went to Imrali within the scope of the "solution process" until April 5, 2015, and held talks with Öcalan.

 

2016: 8 DAYS

 

With the end of the dialogue process on April 5, 2015, 50 Kurdish politicians started a hunger strike demanding to visit Öcalan after the July 15 coup attempt on September 5, 2016, in the Diyarbakır building of Democratic Regions Party (DBP). As a result of the hunger strike, Mehmet Öcalan went to the İmralı Island on September 11, 2016, and visited his brother. The 50 politicians ended their action on the 8 day as a result.

 

2018: 200 DAYS

 

Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair and Hakkari Deputy Leyla Güven launched an indefinite non-rotating hunger strike in Diyarbakır Type E Closed Prison. People from all over the world participated in the hunger strike as well as around 7 thousand prisoners in the prisons of Turkey.

 

HDP MPs Dersim Dağ, Tayip Temel, and Murat Sarısaç also participated in the hunger strike in the Diyarbakır Provincial Organization building on March 3, 2018.

 

DEATH FAST 

 

15 prisoners from different prisons turned the hunger strike into a death fast when the demand is not met on April 30, 2019.

 

THOSE WHO END THEIR LIVES

 

While the hunger strikes continued to spread, Uğur Şakar, who set his body on fire in front of the court in Krefeld, Germany on February 20, died on 22 March in the hospital where he was treated. To protest the isolation in prisons, Zülküf Gezen (33) from Tekirdağ No 2 Type F Prison ended his life on March 17, Ayten Beçet (24) from Gebze Women's Closed Prison ended her life on March 23, Zehra Sağlam (23) from Oltu Type T Closed Prison ended her life of March 24, Medya Çınar (24) from Mardin Type E Closed Prison ended her life on March 25, Yonca Akici from Şakran Women's Prison ended her life on March 9, Siraç Yüksek from Osmaniye No 2 Type T Closed Prison ended her life on April 2, Mahsum Pamay from Elazığ No 1 High-Security Prison ended his life On April 5.

 

As a result of the 200 day hunger strike led by Leyla Güven, Öcalan's attorneys met with Öcalan on May 2, May 22, June 12, June 18, and August 7 of 2019. The hunger strike and the death fast were ended on May 26 with Öcalan's call.