Kurdish Hunger Strike Solidarity Statement

Leyla Guven, a democratically elected Kurdish MP to the Turkish Parliament has been on hunger strike for over 100 days and is now nearing death. Her hunger strike calls for an end to the isolation of jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. The leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has been held mostly in solitary confinement by Turkey since 1999.  Over 300 Kurds are now on hunger strike in Turkish prisons, Kurdistan, Europe, North America and Australia. In Strasbourg, 14 Kurds have been on indefinite hunger strike since December 17 to pressure the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) to fulfil its duties and pay a visit to check on the situation of Öcalan. In Wales, Imam Sis has been on hunger strike since December 17th at the Kurdish Community Centre in Newport. The international campaign for freedom for Öcalan and reconvening of peace talks between the Turkish government and PKK has been supported by