Families visited their imprisoned relatives in the Sirnak Type T Closed Prison and were to hold a press statement in front of the prison afterwards to draw attention to the prisoners who have been on hunger strikes protesting the isolation imposed upon PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

 

Families with relatives in other prisons and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Sirnak provincial and district administrators also supported the press statement.

 

The police surrounded the families with water cannons and armored vehicles.

 

Families protested the police preparing to attack and said, “Do our children have to die? They are our only concern. We want to lend our voice to our children.”

 

Families and party members later left the prison and held a press statement in the police-surrounded HDP provincial offices.

 

HDP Şırnak Co-chair Zeki Irmez said there are 20 prisoners on hunger strikes in the Şırnak Type T Closed Prison.

 

Irmez said the prisoners only demand that Turkey adhere to its own laws and added: “Despite all warnings, AKP-MHP has refrained from implementing their own laws and this has led to 15 people going on a death fast.”

 

Irmez continued: “Mr. Öcalan must be allowed to meet with his family and lawyers as soon as possible. Otherwise, the AKP government will be responsible for all negative developments in prisons. Approving and prolonging the isolation is an imposition of war against the peoples of Turkey and we do not accept that.”

 

HDP’s Irmez stressed that they will continue to lend their voices to all prisoners on hunger strikes until their demands are accepted and added: “We will continue to defend peace against war, labor against exploitation and the law against the isolation on these lands.”

 

ATTACKS IN ISTANBUL AND DİYARBAKIR

 

The police also attacked the vigil launched by families of prisoners on hunger strikes against the isolation imposed upon Öcalan. 

 

The police stopped the families as they started the sit-in and told them it is “illegal” to protest in front of the prison.

 

The families responded: “We are not here for a picnic, our children are dying. It allows us a breath of fresh air even to look at the bare walls of the prison.”

 

The police attacked the families and battered several people, dragging them on the ground. 15 people were detained after the attack and were taken to the Kartaltepe Security Bureau.

 

During the attack, one police officer said “These are not human beings” in an attempt to insult the families.

 

Lawyers were also battered by the police, who also confiscated the footage recorded by journalists.

 

Police also attacked families of prisoners who were to hold a press statement in the Koşuyolu Park in Diyarbakır’s Baglar district. Several mothers fainted during the attack. Hundreds of riot police officers evacuated the park and surrounded it, banning all exit and entry.