MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Amed-On November 27, 2023, political prisoners in 104 prisons across Turkey started a rotational hunger strike, demanding “freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a resolution to the Kurdish question”. Since then, the hunger strikers have been subjected to many rights violations and not given vitamins, salt, coffee or juice. In Antalya L-type Prison, the political prisoners on hunger strike are reportedly forced to serve food to ordinary prisoners.

 She was allowed to see her son after holding a sit-in

    

Last week, Afife Kartal went to Antalya L-type Prison to visit her son Muhammed Kartal; however, she was told, “You cannot see your son, he receives a disciplinary punishment.” Then, she was allowed to see her son after holding a sit-in in front of the prison.

‘They are threatened to serve food to ordinary prisoners’

Despite the crackdown of the prison administration, the hunger strikers’ morale and motivation are high, Afife Kartal said. “I felt better when I saw them like that. They have been losing weight. My son was on strike for 10 days and I learned that he lost seven kilos in 10 days. The hunger strikers are not given sugar, salt or coffee; they are only given water. The hunger strikers were told, ‘You will serve food to ordinary prisoners’. When they refused, they were threatened to ‘be tortured’.”

‘We do not accept this injustice’

Afife Kartal told us that they would never accept the crackdown and injustice against the hunger strikers. “We do not accept this injustice on our children and their families. They demand the isolation be lifted. We do not accept the isolation imposed on Imrali and other prisons. Families should be allowed to see their relatives in prison. This is a humanitarian demand.”

‘A step should be immediately taken’

    

When Meymenet Boz visited her son in Amed (Diyarbakır) T-type Prison, she learned that the hunger strikers were only given water. “My son waits for his turn to go on hunger strike. As mothers, we demand the isolation be lifted. A step should be immediately taken to lift the isolation. As mothers, we hold a sit-in here to be a voice for our children.”

‘We should not be left alone’

Meymenet Boz called on the Kurdish people to support them. “The political prisoners took action when they saw that people outside did nothing. We should not be left alone. Everyone should come here to support us.”