The Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-Chairperson and People's Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari Deputy Leyla Güven has left behind the 78th day of the indefinite-non-rotating hunger strike action as of 24 January 2019. Güven stated that she had been demanding that the aggravated circumstances of isolation practices applied in İmralı Prison and the ongoing deadly armed conflict environment be prevented and indicated that she would not accept to be treated in any way during her action.

Along with Leyla Güven, for the same demands, more than 250 political prisoners started the indefinite and non-rotating hunger strikes. Some prisoners also suffer from serious health problem. In addition, there are violations by prison authorities against prisoners for actions, such as disruption in health checks, solitary confinement, disciplinary proceedings and punishment.
 
Leyla Güven has been on hunger strike since November 7, 2018 and her health condition is deteriorating day by day and she has exceeded the critical threshold. Leyla Güven is exhausted and fatigued, has been going through weight loss (close to 10 kilos), has visual impairment, has low blood pressure, suffers from muscle and joint pain, has not been able to take liquids due to nausea, and has irritation and sensitization against sounds and noise. Especially in the last 10 days she has been experiencing high fever, which may be a sign of infection.
 
Leyla Güven has not been able to contact her lawyers for the past 15 days due to negative health problems. In the event that the hunger strike action continues in this form, we are worried that multisystem insufficiency and consequently irreversible consequences may occur as a result of infections caused by the suppression of the immune system worsened by inadequate fluid intake and prolonged hunger.

We would like to point out that the demands of Leyla Güven are justified demands in accordance with the principles of universal law. Moreover, we, as human rights defenders, would like to state that the aggravated isolation of Abdullah Öcalan and of three other political prisoners held in İmralı Prison is a violation of human rights when it comes to national and international conventions and humanitarian law. At the same time, in this case this treatment is manifestly against the Constitution of Republic of Turkey and the Penal Code.
  
In this context, we would like to call on the Ministry of Justice, government authorities and national-international public to take urgent action in order to end the hunger strike by Leyla Güven, considering the justified demands of hers. 
 

Diyarbakır Bar Association
Human Rights Association, Diyarbakır Branch
Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, Diyarbakır Office
Medical Chamber of Diyarbakır
Rights Initiative Association, Diyarbakır Office