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 the TUC, GMB, Unite and other unions, Jeremy Corbyn, Plaid Cymru, Mairead Maguire (Nobel Peace Laureate), Desmond Tutu, Gerry Adams, Noam Chomsky, Professor Angela Davis and many others. Many believe that freedom for Öcalan is a precondition for a peaceful resolution of the Kurdish question in Turkey.

We call upon the UK government to press the Turkish government to end the isolation of Öcalan

(pictured: Imam Sis on hunger strike in Newport, Wales since 17 December 2018)
To add your name or organisation to this statement please email kurdishhungerstrikestatement@gmail.com If signing as an individual, please include organisation if relevant.
WELSH VERSION: http://bit.do/eKpzi

CURRENT SIGNATORIES OF STATEMENT 

Adam Price, Leader, Plaid Cymru
Anna McMorrin MP, Labour, Cardiff North
Darren Williams, Labour NEC and WEC Secretary, Welsh Labour Grassroots
Lord Peter Hain, Labour
Mark Serwotka, President, TUC
Benjamin Zephaniah, Poet
Leanne Wood AM, Plaid
Anthony Slaughter, Leader, Wales Green Party
Shavanah Taj, Public & Commercial Services Union National Officer
Marianne Owens, NEC, Public & Commercial Services Union
Lindsey German, National Convenor, Stop the War Coalition
Mark Campbell, Co-chair, Kurdistan Solidarity Campaign
Amrit Wilson, South Asia Solidarity Group
Selma James, Global Women's Strike & Author, Sex, Race & Class: The Perspective of Winning
Jill Gough, National Secretary, CND Cymru
Professor Michael Lavalette, Liverpool Hope University
Margaretta D’Arcy, Raging Grannies, Ireland
Allison Hulmes, National Director for Wales, British Association of Social Workers Cymru
Professor Menna Elfyn, President, Wales PEN Cymru
Cerith Griffiths, Wales Secretary, Fire Brigades Union
Belinda Loveluck Edwards, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Labour, Vale of Glamorgan
Selma James, Global Women's Strike, Author 'Sex, Race & Class - The Perspective of Winning'
Rhun Ap Iorweth AM, Deputy Leader, Plaid
Llyr Gruffyd AM, Plaid
Delyth Jewell AM, Plaid
Sian Gwenllian AM, Plaid 
Helen Mary Jones AM, Plaid
Bethan Sayed AM, Plaid
Dr Dai Lloyd AM, Plaid
Maggie Ronayne, author, The Cultural and Environmental Impact of Large Dams in Southeast Turkey, NUI, Galway, Ireland
Osian Rhys, Cadeirydd, Cymdeithas yr Iaith (Chair, Welsh Language Society)
Dani Thomas, Co-ordinator DiEM25 Cymru
Emma Garson, Branch Secretary UNISON Cardiff County
Mike Jenkins, Writer, Co-editor, Red Poets 
Jon Luxton, Labour, Mayor of Penarth (personal capacity)
Cllr Angela Thomas, Labour, Penarth Town Council
Cllr Ellie Evans, Labour, Penarth Town Council
Cllr  Gruffydd Williams, Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Council
Fflur Arwel, Co-Chair, Plaid Ifanc
Sioned Treharne, Co-Chair, Plaid Ifanc
Morgan Bowler-Brown, Treasurer, Plaid Ifanc
Maggie Simpson, vice chair, Wales Labour Grassroots
Sandy Clubb, Undod
Rhys Mills, Undod
Greg Cullen, Playwright, Shock n Awe Theatre Company
Dani Thomas, Co-ordinator DiEM25 Cymru
Ramon Corria, Secretary Communist Party of Britain, Cardiff Branch
Jenny Marie Charles, Wales Equality Alliance
Len Arthur, Left Unity Wales
Pete Wentland , Founder Calais Refugee Solidarity Bristol
Tim Evans, Secretary, Llanelli 1911 Rail Strike Commemoration Committee; Convenor, Swansea Live Poets Society
Dr Renata Medeiros-Mirra, Cardiff University
Professor Sue Williams, Visual Artist and Senior Lecturer in Fine Art, Fine Art & Media School, Swansea College of Art, UWTSD 
Jane Harries, Cymru dros Heddwch/Wales for Peace
Sue Leader, Branch Secretary, Cardiff & Vale Unite Community
Alan Short, Branch Chair, Cardiff & Vale Unite Community
Dr Llion Wigley, Secretary, Cardiff Branch, Cymdeithas y Cymod (Fellowship of Reconciliation)
Professor Bridget Anderson, University of Bristol
Nick Jewitt, Founder member Pobl i Bobl - Bangor (Cefnogi Ffoaduriaid/Refugee Support)
Elin Davies, YesCaerdydd
Richard Huw Morgan, YesPontypridd
Jonny Jones, Queen Mary UCU member
Neil Rogall UCU (retired member)
Derek Wall, Parish councillor Winkfield Berkshire
Geraldine O'Connell Warrington South CLP
Sandy Clubb, Undod
Rhys Mills, Undod
Ben Gwalchmai, Labour for Indy Wales
Sara Callaway, Women of Colour/Global women’s Strike, London
Sian Evans, Global Women’s Strike, London
Eric Gjersten, Payday men's network, Philadelphia, US
David Gibson, Peacehome Campaign, US
Shona Guderson, US
Michael Kalmanovitz, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network - UK
Dean Kendall, Phila, US
Michael A. Lebowitz, Canada
Lorry Leader, London
Joy Marcus, Guyana
Ben Martin, Payday men’s network, London
Cari Mitchell, English Collective of Prostitutes
Nina Lopez, Global Women’s Strike, London
Shoda Rackal, London
Giorgio Riva, Payday men’s network, LondonDidi Rossi, Queer Strike, London
Georgie Stagg, SE London
David Swanson, Director, World BEYOND War, US
Sophia Vassilakidis, Texas, US  
Crissie Warren, Women of Colour/Global Women’s Strike, London
Tom Bullough, Novelist, Fellow at Swansea University
Tom Cheeseman, Professor of German, Swansea University
Women for Justice and Peace in Sri Lanka
London Kurdistan Solidarity Network
Christopher Roberts, Welsh Labour Representation Group
Pippa Bartolotti, Wales Green Party
Lotte Reimer,  Aberystwyth Peace and Justice Network
Nichola Davies, Caerphilly and Iswlyn Welsh Labour Grassroots
Helen Erasmus, Caerphilly and Islwyn Welsh Labour Grassroots
Annie Gwillym Walker islwyn CLP Crosskeys branch
Rob Hoveman, Unite the Community & Central European University
Dee Murphy, Swansea Palestine Community Link & Swansea Action for Palestine
Debbie Witts - senior designer at The Olive Grove Design Team, Cardiff
Sheila Jones, Unite Community member
Chris Gingell, Conservationist and humanitarian campaigner
Lyndsey Halliday, Cardiff Extinction Rebellion
Maggie Ravenscroft, Caerphilly and Islwyn WLG/Unite member
Geno Sulano, Welsh artist
Annie Gwillym Walker islwyn CLP Crosskeys branch
 Julie Dixon  Islwyn CLP
Dorian Dixon Islwyn CLP
Sandra Holliday, RCT Welsh Labour Grassroots
Jennifer Fletcher - Cardiff resident and international development worker/consultant
Dylan Morgan, owner of the Welsh book shop in llangefni, Anglesey
Steve Eaves Musician/ Language Consultant
Mireille Escande de Messieres, Aberystwyth
Anna Monro, Pembrokeshire
Matt Rhys-Roberts, Wrexham
Linda Jensen, Cardiff
Cathy Wilson, Liverpool
Jackie Shellard
Jeff Hurford
Emily Trahair
Debbie Francis
Shan Jamil Ashton 
Wanda Zyborska 
Heather Bolton
Kristina Hedges
Anna Forster
Helen Pendry
Ken Barker
Sheelagh Llewellyn
Pat Gregory
Andy Chyba
Sian Gale
Jenny Howell
Sam Jenkins
Andree Morgan Andrews
Alice Shing
Emma Mato
Kirsty-Marie Jones
Madhu Khanna-Davies
Heulwen Baworowska
Dr Gina Bridgeland
Elaine Moore
Lizzie Cox
Steve Ryan
Lesley Marshall