The hunger strike initiated by the prisoners in Van Type F High Security Prison demanding the termination of the practices of State of Emergency (OHAL) on September 14 is now on its 32nd day. Speaking about the hunger strike and the demands of the prisoners,  TUHAY- DER (Association for Solidarity with Prisoners’ Families) Van Branch Chair Kudret Temel said that the pressure on the society spreaded to the prisons. Expressing that the demands of the detainees are justified and legitimate, Temel wanted the demands to be met.

 

Underlining that the demands are actually their legal rights, Temel drew attention to the fact that the State of Emergency declared after July 15 continues in prisons. Temel said: "Prisoners are kept in solitary confinement. They demand that the violation of rights against political prisoners to be terminated, longer time in the yard, stopping the unnecessary searches for visiters, which are all their legal rights. 5-6 people are fed with a portion for one person. Prisoners said that the very little food they give them is not eatable. They have spoken to the prison administration about their problems but the prison administration turned a blind eye."

 

Stating that the demands of the detainees were not met despite all their attempts, Temel called for the demands to be met immediately. Stating that the families who applied to TUHAY-DER on the subject will start a hunger strike themselves if the demands of the prisoners are not met, Temel said: "Something must be done before people start dying."

 

Referring to the occupancy rate in the prison, Temel said, “Because the occupancy rate in the wards is too high, some prisoners sleep on the floor in front of the sink. The prisoners no longer even have a place to sleep. The existing social distance rule is not applied in prisons. Even when prisoners get sick, they are not admitted to the infirmary. Families can only make the prison administration take the prisoners to the infirmary by applying to the prison themselves."

 

 

MA / Dindar Karataş