Demirtas calls for EU help ending hunger strikes for Ocalan
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Hunger strikers are demanding an end to the solitary confinement of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) founder Abdullah Ocalan. Selahattin Demirtas, a Kurdish politician also detained in Turkey, has written to European lawmakers to ask for their help ending the strike.
“The hunger strike of my friends has reached the borders of death. Their only demand from the Turkish government is to immediately end the solitary confinement imposed on Mr. Abdullah Ocalan at Imrali Island Prison, towards establishing the rule of law and a political climate of dialogue and peace,” he wrote in the letter, published by his pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) on Tuesday.
Demirtas was the co-chair of the HDP but resigned following his imprisonment in 2016 when we was accused of supporting terrorism. He ran in Turkey’s presidential election last summer from his jail cell.
Hundreds of HDP members have gone on hunger strike to demand an end to Ocalan’s alleged “isolation”. One high profile striker is HDP MP Leyla Guven, who was recently released on bail owing to her deteriorating health condition. However, she has not broken up her strike.
HDP MP Leyla Guven has been on hunger strike since November 8 to protest against the arrest conditions of PKK (Kurdish Workers' Party) leader Abdullah Ocalan. Photo: Ozan Kose / AFP
Ocalan was arrested by Turkish intelligence agents in February 1999 while in Kenya. He has been in prison ever since. He has not met his lawyers since 2011 and has rarely been allowed to see his family.
“This rightful, legal and legitimate demand is a realistic one that can make concrete and direct contributions to the security, peace, and stability of Turkey, Syria, and Europe,” Demirtas told EU lawmakers.
Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan gives a press conference in Masnaa on the Lebanon-Syria border, September 28, 1993. File photo: Joseph Barrak / AFP
He called on the European Parliament and Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to help end the hunger strike.
“I ... believe that you will help with all means at your disposal to build international publicity on the issue and to make sure that the demand of hunger strikers is met without any delay so that hunger strikes can end,” he added.
Demirtas faces up to 142 years in prison if found guilty on all counts of the multiple terror-related charges against him. He has been in jail since his arrest in November 2016.
A supporter of Selahattin Demirtas hold a photo of the HDP leader outside the courthouse in Istanbul. File photo: Ozan Kose/AFP
Most of the charges stem from allegations of ties with the PKK – a banned organization in Turkey. Demirtas led negotiations during peace talks between the PKK and the Turkish government five years ago.
New charges put against him in December include managing a terror organization, conducting propaganda for a terrorist organization, and “enmity of the people.”
