5th September 2016
50 Kurdish politicians began an indefinite hunger strike demanding that the state abide by international human rights and allow either his family or his lawyers of a party delegation to see Mr. Abdullah Öcalan with whom all communication has been cut for the last 515 days. Moreover, it is certain that during the 15 July failed coup attempt the coupists targeted him and there were clashes in the İmralı prison island. The whole world must know that there is profound anxiety over Mr. Öcalan’s health and security. Kurdish people and their institutions and representatives will not accept such inhuman and unlawful treatment of their leadership. The group on hunger strike at DBP headquarters in Diyarbakır, includes MPs, co-mayors, municipal assembly members, party executives, members of the women’s movement, lawyers, artists and members of many civil society associations began an indefinite hunger strike in Amed/Diyarbakır. The Hunger Strike has been organised by DTK (Democratic Society Congress), HDK (Peoples’ Democratic Congress), KJA (Free Women’s Congress), DBP (Democratic Regions Party) and HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party). The strike will continue until this most legal and legitimate request is fulfilled.
The list of the hunger strikers is as follows;
1. Leyla Güven – Co-chair of Democratic Society Congress, Free Women’s Congress (KJA) member
2. Nadir Yıldırım – Member of Parliament – HDP
3. Selma Irmak – Member of Parliament – HDP, KJA member
4. Berdan Öztürk – Member of Parliament – HDP
5. Dilek Öcalan – Member of Parliament – HDP, KJA member
6. Ferhat Encu – Member of Parliament – HDP
7. Ebru Günay – Advocate of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan, Asrın Hukuk Bürosu, KJA member
8. Cengiz Çiçek – Advocate of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan, Asrın Hukuk Bürosu
9. Sebahat Tuncel – Co-chair of Democratic Regions Party (DBP), KJA executive
10. Gülcihan Şimşek –DBP Central Executive Committee, KJA member
11. Zeynel Mat –DBP Party Assembly member
12. Mehmet Candemir – DBP Party Assembly member
13. Uğur Bayrak – DBP Party Assembly member
14. Zeki Baran – DBP Party Assembly member
15. Murat Döner – Executive Member of (Association for Prisoners’ Rights) TUHAD-DER
16. Hasip Yalnıç – Writer, Kurdish PEN
17. Zeynep Karaman – KJA executive
18. Ceylan Bağrıyanık – KJA executive and member of Imrali delegation
________________________________________________________________________________ Contact for details: diplo.dbp@gmail.com
19. Berfin Emektar – Theatre player, Culture Academy, KJA member
20. İbrahim Halil Yıldırım – Film director, Middle East Cinema Academy
21. Nazım Hikmet Çalışkan – Theatre player, Culture Academy
22. Abdullah Tarhan – Theatre player, Culture Academy
23. Zeynel Doğan – Film director, Middle East Cinema Academy
24. İslam Dağdeviren – Scriptwriter, Cigerxwin Cinema Academy
25. Bekir Kaya – Co-mayor of Van Metropolitan Municipality
26. Mehmet Ali Tunç – Co-mayor of Muradiye
27. Beritan Tayan – Co-mayor of İpekyolu/Van, KJA member
28. Bayram Demir – Member of Batman Municipal Assembly
29. Berivan Özlem Kutlu – Co-mayor of Kumçatı/Şırnak, KJA member
30. Yıldız Çetin – Co-mayor of Gürpınar/Van, KJA member
31. Rukiye Eryılmaz – Co-mayor of Çınar/Diyarbakır, KJA member
32. Hasan Güngör – Vice co-mayor of Kayapınar/Diyarbakır
33. Zelal Abiş Birtane – Vice co-mayor of Dicle/Diyarbakır, KJA member
34. Hayrettin Satar – Member of Bismil Municipal Assembly
35. Hüseyin Çelik – Member of Kayapınar/Diyarbakır Municipal Assembly
36. Necmi Dilmaç – Member of Batman Municipal Assembly
37. Bayram Akman – Member of Batman Municipal Assembly
38. Abdulkadir Çalışkan – Co-mayor of Saray/Van
39. Siyamend Yaruk – Journalist, DİHA – Dicle News Agency
40. Arif Akkaya –DBP Diyarbakir executive
41. Abbas Ercan – HDP Kayapınar/Diyarbakır Co-chair
42. Arzu Karaman HDP Bağlar/Diyarbakır Co-chair, KJA member
43. Elif Haran –KJA member
44. Semra Karaduman –KJA member
45. Talat Emre – Association of 78’s
46. Rıfat Roni – Association of 78’s
47. Sinan Ekinci –DBP Bağlar/Diyarbakir executive
48. Nalan Göze – DBP Diyarbakır executive, KJA member
49. Yusuf Ziya Yavuz – DBP member
50. Yusuf Sökmen – DBP member
We call on international institutions, democratic forces and political actors to take action to stop this blatant violation of human rights, international law, national law and constitution. We call on worldwide reaction to the inhuman and unlawful state of isolation within imposed on the leadership of the Kurdish people, Mr. Abdullah Öcalan.
Respectfully yours,
DTK (Democratic Society Congress)
HDK (Peoples’ Democratic Congress)
KJA (Free Women’s Congress)
HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party)
DBP (Democratic Regions Party)