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EU Commission for
Enlargement concerned about Kurdish hunger strike in
Turkey
2.11.2012 |
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Hunger strike in Turkish
prisons reaches day 52
November 2, 2012
BRUSSELS,— In a written statement Peter
Stano, spokesperson for EU Commissioner for
Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Mr
Stefan Füle (in charge also of the EU-Turkey
Accession talks) expressed concerns over the health
situation of Kurdish political prisoners on fast and
called on the Turkish government to make efforts in
the scope of international human rights norms.
The hunger strike has reached day 52 and it is
putting the Turkish government under pressure as
more and more people are supporting and joining the
fast every day. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
has been denying the action by prisoners and
insulted them saying that they are just making a
show.
On October 31, Erdoğan claimed in a joint press
conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in
Berlin that there were actually no hunger strikers
except one prisoner on a death fast. He said the
rest were making a political show. In the same day
and ironically in the same hours, Turkish Minister
of Justice Sadullah Ergin stated in a joint press
conference with his German counterpart Sabine
Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger in Ankara that a total
of 683 prisoners were on a hunger strike in 66
Turkish prisons.
The statement says that "The European Commission is
following the situation closely and is concerned
about reports that the health condition of the
prisoners on hunger strike is deteriorating".
The statement that reiterates that "The Commission
calls on the hunger strikers not to endanger their
health and lives. We call for efforts to prevent a
further deterioration in the health of the prisoners
in line with international human rights norms".
As a general principle, the Commission "reiterates
the importance to adequately address the Kurdish
issue. The South-East needs peace, democracy and
stability as well as social,www.ekurd.net
economic and cultural development. This can only be
achieved via consensus over concrete measures
expanding the social, economic and cultural rights
of the people living in the region".
The statement ends by saying that "Finding a
solution to the Kurdish issue and to all the
problems in the South-East requires the widest
possible contribution of all democratic forces, and
an open and frank public discussion that can be
conducted in the full respect of basic fundamental
freedoms."
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