DİYARBAKIR - The prisoner’s relative and writer Herdem Merwanî, who joined the ‘’Justice Vigil’’ of the relatives of the prisoners after the three-day hunger strike, called for a struggle by saying, ‘’We are under isolation even at our home’’.

 

The aggravated isolation against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan and the prisoners continues with deepening. While the violations of rights against prisoners in Turkey and the regional prisons have increased with the isolation, sick prisoners are not treated and their releases are prevented with Forensic Medicine Institution reports. The releases of prisoners, who are expected to be released, are postponed by canceling remissions for sentence. 

 

The families of the prisoners initiated a ‘’Justice Vigil’’ on November 16 against all these unlawfulness and rights violations. The vigil, which has been going on for 19 days and started with the participation of four families, is joined by new families of prisoners every day.

 

Writer Herdem Merwanî went on a hunger strike on November 28 to demand the release of her father Abdulhalim Kırtay (73-year-old), who has been imprisoned for 29 years, and to draw attention to the situation of sick prisoners. Visiting the vigil action launched by the families of the prisoners on November 30, Herdem ended the hunger strike after the visit and joined the vigil action.

 

She ended the strike on November 30

 

Noting that her father Abdulhalim was subjected to gross rights violations, Herdem stated that they applied to many places for her father’s situation, but they could not get any results. Herdem said, ‘’When our applications regarding the situation of the prisoners are remain inconclusive, our hands are tied. As families, we cannot lay claim to prisoners enough. I went on a hunger strike to draw attention to the situation of the prisoners and sick prisoners. I ended the strike after I joined the action started by the families of the prisoners on November 30. Together with the families, I will wait here for ‘justice’ both for my father and for all the prisoners’’.

 

‘They are killed there deliberately’

 

Pointing out that there have been serious violations against the prisoners, Herdem demanded that all segments raise their voices in the face of this injustice and unlawfulness. Stating that all the relatives of the prisoners should be involved in the vigil for this reason, Herdem said, ‘’They want to kill and destroy the Kurds, but this is not easy. No one should say ‘’they died’’ for the prisoners who lost their lives in the prisons. They are killed there deliberately. We learned this after days that Bangin Muhammed died in prison’’.

 

‘Kurds should unite’

 

Expressing that the isolation policies against PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and the prisoners have been deepened, Herdem stated that the isolation has spread to the whole society. ‘’We are under isolation even at our home,’’ Herdem said. And she emphasized that they have no other way than to fight against these policies. Pointing out that the Kurdish people should unite, Herdem continued, ‘’The state commits crime against the prisoners. Yes, we were able to achieve some progress in this regard by struggling. But these are not enough. No one should remain silent in the face of this oppression. All Kurdish people should unite and be a voice to the voices of the prisoners. No one can take away the prisoners’ right to life’’.