Woman found dead in Turkish jail as elections near
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Medya Cinar, a Kurd protesting the Turkish state, was found dead in her cell in Mardin E Type Prison on Monday.
"Today we learned that a woman, jailed in Mardin Prison and known as Cinar, has committed suicide," read a statement from the HDP on Twitter.
At least five people have died by suicide in the past two weeks protesting the actions of the Turkish state. They include Ugur Sakar, Zulkuf Guzer, Ayten Becet, Zehra Saglam, and Cinar.
Some of the suicides have lead to public demonstrations.
"The number of those [people] who have committed suicide for protesting the aggravation of isolation against Mr. Ocalan is increasing," the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) statement added.
Cinar, 24, was arrested in May 2016 and charged with links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is banned in the country. Justice has been slow for hundreds in Turkey who claim they are being held as political prisoners for around three years.
The HDP also called on the government to end the "isolation" — a reference to imprisoned and solitary confined PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan — and its policies of avoidance.
Video posted on social media showed people outside of the prison protesting and at least one person being detained by Turkish security forces.
Another video showed a handful of protesters shouting at security forces: "This is not the way you treat people."
Media close to the HDP has reported that party officials went to local municipal offices to raise their concerns.
Leyla Guven, an HDP MP currently on hunger strike in protest at Ocalan’s ongoing solitary confinement, recently told pro-PKK Denge Welat radio: “Now our friends carry out sacrifice actions ... I bow to their actions.”
“But I say that let everyone know that whenever one friend commits such actions, I lose one part of my life.”
She urged others not to commit suicide.
Turkey will hold municipal and provincial elections on March 31. During campaigning, emotions run high on all sides with fiery rhetoric pouring out.
An HDP alliance including most Kurdish parties has campaigned on the election being a referendum against the Justice and Development Party (AKP) dominated government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The HDP deny links to the PKK. The former performed well in last year's presidential and parliamentary election — passing the 10-percent threshold to enter parliament with 67 seats, eight more than in the previous election.
Additionally in many Kurdish cities and municipalities the AKP appointed trustees to govern. The HDP wants to retake those posts through the election.
Last updated 7.06 p.m.
