WAN - In the report prepared by the Hunger Strike Monitoring and Follow-up Coordination in Wan regarding 12 prisons, it was stated that the prisoners on hunger strike were exposed to many violations and a call was made to meet the demands.

"Hunger Strike Monitoring and Follow-Up Coordination", including Wan Bar Association, Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), Human Rights Association (İHD), Wan Association for Assistance and Solidarity with Families of Detainees and Convicts (TUAY-DER), Wan-Colemêrg Medical Chamber and Health and Social Service Workers' Union (SES) announced the report they prepared on prisons. The report included Van Type F, Van High Security, Patnos Type L, Ahlat Type T, Erzurum Oltu Type T, Erzurum Dumlu No. 1 and 2 High Security, Samsun Bafra Type T, Samsun Kavak Type S, Giresun Espiye Type L, Trabzon Beşikdüzü Type T  and Rize Kalkandere Type L prisons. Coordination members shared the report at the Wan Bar Association Tahir Elçi Conference Hall.

VIOLATIONS EXPERIENCED BY PRISONERS ON HUNGER STRIKE

 Lawyer Mustafa Özoral from the coordination listed the violations against the prisoners who are on rotating hunger strike demanding the physical freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the solution of the Kurdish issue. Özoral stated that in some prisons, daily health checks are not carried out, health checks are sometimes not carried out by the infirmary doctor, and in some prisons, subsistence items such as yoghurt and fruit juice are not provided.

Özoral pointed out that the prisoners on hunger strike in Van Type F Prison were not given food, and shared that the prisoners said that they were not given vitamins B1 and B12. Özoral said that disciplinary punishments such as "withholding from cultural and sports activities", "deprivation or restriction of communication and means of communication" were given to prisoners due to hunger strikes, and added: "Each prison has a different approach to prisoners on hunger strike, health checks are not carried out in accordance with the strike, and food appropriate for the strike is not provided. It has been determined through the prisoners' statements that every prisoner who goes on strike immediately faces disciplinary investigations”

‘ISOLATION IS A VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT OF LIFE’

 Emphasizing that the demands of the prisoners on hunger strike must be met, Özoral said: "We remind the Ministry of Justice and relevant institutions of their responsibilities to hold family and lawyer meetings with Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners in İmralı Prison as soon as possible. The practice of isolation is a clear violation of the right to life. Prisoners in İmralı Closed Island Prison have the same rights as prisoners in other prisons in Turkey”

Özoral, who wanted the isolation to be abolished, said: "Solving the Kurdish issue through democratic and peaceful means and the emergence of a democratic political space depends on the abolishing of the absolute isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan in accordance with the current legal legislation and the existence of a legal system based on free and fair human rights. It is clear that the future of Turkey can only be achieved by adopting democratic and universal legal values as a state mind”

DEMANDS

Özoral also called on prison administrations and listed the following demands:

 * A health file must be created by the prison doctor for each prisoner who goes on hunger strike, and daily health checks must be performed and recorded in their files.

 * In line with the demands of the prisoners on hunger strike, the provisions to be consumed during the strike must be "salt, sugar, baking soda, fruit juice, ayran and yoghurt, etc." A sufficient amount must be given daily. Again, a total of 500 mg of vitamin B1 in the form of 2 tablets daily must be given.

* In order for prisoners on hunger strike to have sufficient information about hunger strikes, an information note titled "Issues to be Considered During a Hunger Strike" prepared by the Turkish Medical Association in the context of health rights must be given to each prisoner.

 * Opened disciplinary investigations must be withdrawn immediately.