HDP-Logo

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)