The hunger strike launched by political prisoners demanding the physical freedom of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is kept under isolation in İmralı F Type High Security Closed Prison, and a solution to the Kurdish question is on its 121st day.
Abdullah Öcalan, and his fellow prisoners in Imrali Island Prison, Ömer Hayri Konar, Veysi Aktaş and Hamili Yıldırım, have not been allowed to meet with their families and lawyers for 36 months. The international campaign “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a political solution to the Kurdish question” was launched on 10 October 2023 with simultaneous statements in 74 centres around the world in order to end the isolation in İmralı and ensure Abdullah Öcalan’s physical freedom.
As part of the campaign, political prisoners in prisons started a hunger strike on 27 November.
The PKK and PAJK prisoners, who had previously stated that they would carry their hunger strike to a new phase as of 15 February if no steps were taken regarding their demands, postponed their decision due to the 31 March local elections. In a statement made by Deniz Kaya on behalf of PKK and PAJK prisoners on 12 February, it was said that: “We have extended our rotating hunger strike action, in order to end the isolation imposed on our leader. We want everyone to know that we will enter a new phase on 15 February and until after the elections to be held on 31 March. We declare to the public that if the isolation of our leader continues after the election, we will take our action to the next level and continue until we get results.”