Turkish Hunger Strike Deaths- Protest in Dublin

national | miscellaneous | news report

Wednesday December 04, 2002 17:18

by Solidarity with Hunger Strikers in Turkey

101 people have now died in the protest against the isolation prisons in Turkey. More information at link http://www.geocities.com/turkishhungerstrike

Over the weekend two more political prisoners died on hunger strike in Turkey. These are the 100th and 101st deaths in the struggle against the isolation prisons.

'Solidarity with Hunger Strikers in Turkey' will hold a protest vigil at the Turkish Embassy in Dublin (11 Clyde Road, Ballsbridge) on Friday 6th December at 6pm. All welcome.

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(From Halkin Sesi ["Voice of the People"] television station website, December 1, 2002)

Zeliha Erturk yesterday, Feridun Yucel Batu today... How many more people must die?

The Death Fast activist Zeliha Erturk has died in Sisli Etfal Hospital (Istanbul). She had continued her Death Fast action opposing isolation in the F-Type prisons for 551 days. Zeliha Erturk was put in Kartal Special Type Prison following the December 19-22, 2000 operation "Return to Life".

Zeliha Erturk started the Death Fast action on June 3, 2001 as part of the 5th Team and became the 100th person to lose her life. Zeliha was born in Sivas-Zara (in central Turkey) in 1977.

The TAYAD families said in a statement: "The resistance in which Zeliha lost her life and her death are a challenge to the whole of humanity. It is a challenge to those who are blind, deaf and have hearts of stone. Listen to how isolation kills. How long will this insensitivity and lack of respect continue? Zeliha Erturk is the 100th death. And until isolation is lifted this number can only increase. Today's death is the responsibility of the new AKP government. Lift isolation, do not kill human beings..." it said.

This morning, after this statement was received, news came of another death…

This morning Feridun Yucel Batu (33) died. She started the Death Fast action eight months previously in Buca Kiriklar Prison, Izmir and for a time was also in the prisoners' ward of Ataturk Teaching and Research Hospital.

At the time of the December 19 massacre she was in Umraniye Prison, then she was put in Kandira F-Type Prison, later being released. But a short time later she was imprisoned again.

She was the 101st person connected with the Death Fast to die when she lost her life in the prisoners' ward of Ataturk Teaching and Research Hospital.

It was once again announced with the 9th Death Fast Team that in the 3rd year of the Death Fast the same resolve was present as at the start. Revolutionary prisoners will continue to live with their thoughts and beliefs and will not abandon their ideals, and since isolation continues in all its harshness in the prisons, a new Death Fast Team was announced.