Released HDP lawmaker Guven refuses to end hunger strike
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Turkish court ordered the release of Kurdish MP Leyla Guven on Friday following a 79-day hunger strike by the lawmaker in jail to end the "isolation" of the jailed PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan. However, Guven insists she will continue the strike until her demands are met.
"The court issued a verdict of release for our imprisoned Hakkari MP Leyla Guven who started an indefinite hunger strike on 8 November 2018 to protest the isolation of Abdullah Ocalan. Our struggle for democracy, peace and freedom will continue," tweeted her pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) on Friday.
The pro-HDP Firat News Agency (ANF) reported that Guven was immediately taken to her home in Diyarbakir (Amed) to continue her strike. The court has banned her from leaving the country.
Guven, 55, ran for the Turkish parliamentary election on June 24 from behind bars and won. She is also the co-chair of Democratic Society Congress (DTK), a smaller party within HDP.
She was arrested on January 22, 2018 because of her comments against Operation Olive Branch, Turkey’s attack on the Kurdish canton of Afrin in northwestern Syria.
Later, she was accused of "making propaganda for terrorism," a charge faced by thousands of people who protested the operation during events and on social media.
Her case has not been closed; she has to be at court on May 29 for another hearing.
Co-chair of HDP Pervin Buldan talked to media after the release of Guven, confirming that their lawmaker will continue her hunger strike "because her demand has not been met yet."
“Leyla Guven said that she is very strong and her morale is high," added Buldan.
HDP called on judiciary to "meet Leyla Guven's demand by immediately ending the isolation imposed on Mr Ocalan."
Turkey will hold provincial and municipal elections. The HDP has formed an alliance with other major pro-Kurdish parties. They have declared it to be a referendum on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s political stranglehold over the country that is dominated by his Justice and Development (AKP) party.