AMED - Prisoners and their relatives have been protesting for months, demanding "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a solution to the Kurdish issue." Prisoner relatives emphasized that their protests will not end until their demands are met. 

 

Prisoners in prison have been protesting since April 4, demanding "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a solution to the Kurdish issue." Prisoners are boycotting courts and boycotting family and phone calls. Prisoners' relatives also hold "Speak up for freedom" protests in front of prisons with similar demands. 

 

'EVERYTHING WILL BE OK IF WE MEET WITH ÖCALAN'

 

Sulhiye Saruhan, mother of Mahsum Saruhan, who is held in Tekirdağ High Security Closed Prison No. 1, stated that it is very difficult for a mother to live without hearing from her child. Saruhan said: "When we approach even the young animals, they attack us. They defend their babies. It has been two months, we have no news about them. We do not know what they are going through. They were already in isolation in the past. The current situation is a greater cruelty." 

 

Asking for the isolation of Öcalan to be end, Saruhan said: "We want this oppression to end, the isolation to be end. We want peace, equality, mothers' hearts will no longer be heartbroken. If there are talks with Mr. Abdullah Öcalan, everything will start to improve."

 

'WE WILL NOT LEAVE THE PROTESTS UNTIL ISOLATION END'

 

Reşahat Ada, one of the women in the protest, stated that her sister Hamdusena Ada was 7 months away from release, but she was transferred from Amed to Bolu two weeks ago. Pointing out that she has not heard from her sister for 2 months, Reşahat Ada said: "We cannot hear their voices, nor do they have any meetings or anything else. We will not stop our actions until the isolation on our children is end. None of us will be free without a meeting with Mr. Öcalan. Isolation is everywhere. Our children are on an honorable and sacred path. We hold our heads high, we owe them. Everyone who says 'I have a child, I have a conscience' should take responsibility. We will never bow down. We will continue to say 'Bijî berxwedana zindanan (Long live resistance of the dungeons)'."

 

'I AM WORRIED'

 

Rabia Ataş, mother of ill prisoner Şivekar Ataş, who stays in Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison, expressed her sadness at not being able to hear from her ill daughter. Ataş said: "As a mother, my heart hurts too. My daughter is ill, but we can't get any news. The decay of her heart valve had started. When we talked on the phone, we were breathing a little. But now we are short of breath."

 

Calling for a fight to end the isolation in Imrali as soon as possible, Ataş said: "We want this isolation on the Leader (Öcalan) to be abolished. Because we are also under isolation. I call out to all conscientious, honorable people; everyone should stand against this. Today my child is in isolation, tomorrow they will experience the same thing."

 

Emine Al, mother of Gulistan Al in Kayseri Bünyan Women's Closed Prison, stated that she was worried about not getting any news from her child and said: "In order for this isolation to end as soon as possible, everyone should rise up and join our protest that takes place in front of the prison at 14.00 on Mondays. We want to meet our children. We want this isolation on our children, us and our leader to end. We will not stay at home until we hear from our children."

 

'WE WANT THE FREEDOM OF OUR LEADER'

 

Meryem Soylu, mother of Amine Kaya, the mother of three children held in Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison, also expressed her concerns and said: "Everyone should join our protest in front of the prison. As our number increases there, we will be able to break this chain and meet our children. The whole world knows that our children are protesting for Mr. Abdullah Öcalan."

 

Emphasizing that the isolation can only be broken with strong actions, Soylu said: "There is isolation on each of us. Our children no longer just say that the isolation should be broken, they say 'We want the freedom of our leader'. Everyone who says they are human must take responsibility and embrace them as we do."