Petition Letter: To Mr. Abdullah Gül, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mr. Sadullah Ergin
Dokumentiert:
We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the situation and condition of hunger strikers in Turkish prisons. We understand that over 700 Kurdish political prisoners have passed their 46th day on hunger strike, without their demands being addressed by the authorities. Medical experts confi rm that in the course of a hunger strike the 40th day is a turning point where physical and mental... We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the situation and condition of hunger strikers in Turkish prisons. We understand that over 700 Kurdish political prisoners have passed their 46th day on hunger strike, without their demands being addressed by the authorities. Medical experts confi rm that in the course of a hunger strike the 40th day is a turning point where physical and mental dysfunctions commence, as well as cases of death begin to occur. According to international conventions signed by the Republic of Turkey, the government is in charge of a prisoner’s health. As topranking members of the government, the President, Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice will personally be held responsible for any damage to the prisoners’ physical condition. Furthermore, the prisoners’ demands consist primarily of the right to defense in mother tongue and freeing Abdullah Ocalan from solitary confi nement. We would like to express our full support of these demands since they are based on fundamental human rights. We therefore urge the Turkish government to enter in constructive dialogue with the prisoners to respond to their demands.The international community’s opinion on Turkey and its reform process will be strongly shaped by the way the present hunger strikes are handled and the prisoners are treated. Turkey’s reputation might be seriously harmed should this incident turn into a human tragedy. Can Ağr, Translator, İtanbul, Turkey; Ahmet Hamdi Akkaya, Ghent University, Belgium; Emek Alici, University of London, UK; (...)