The “Speak up for freedom” demonstration organized by prisoners' relatives as part of the “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, democratic solution to the Kurdish issue” campaign continued in Mersin and Izmir. 

 

The statement held in front of Tarsus Campus Prison in Mersin was attended by Mersin provincial and district executives and members of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), Peace Mothers, DEM Party Mersin MP Ali Bozan and many prisoners' relatives. During the demonstration where aprons with the words “Isolation is a crime against humanity” written in Kurdish and Turkish were worn, slogans such as “Political prisoners are our honor” and “Bijî berxwedana zindanan (Long live resistance of dungeons)” were frequently chanted.

 

CALL FOR DIALOGUE AND NEGOTIATION

 

Speaking at the statement, DEM Party Provincial Co-Chair Reşat Aşan demanded an end to the absolute lack of communication with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and said: “Insistence on isolation is insistence on war. From here we call on the government; end the isolation policies on Mr. Abdullah Öcalan and create a basis for talks to realize his role in peace. A war is raging in Turkey, Kurdistan and the Middle East. The war stems from the fact that the governments do not put peace on their agenda and do not develop an interlocutor with those who strive for peace. The dialog and negotiation process must be developed. We know that if the Kurdish issue is not resolved in Turkey, peace will not come to the Middle East in general. We strongly condemn those who insist on war policies. We state once again that the solution to the Kurdish issue lies in dialog and negotiation.”

 

The statement ended after a 5-minute sit-in. 

 

İZMİR 

 

Aegean Association for Assistance and Solidarity with Families of Prisoners (EGE YUHAYDER) and relatives of prisoners gathered in front of Buca Kırıklar Prison. Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) activists, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Aegean Regional Representation and Jinart Huner representatives participated in the protest, carrying the banner “Let's break the isolation for justice, speak up for freedom for social peace”. 

 

Speaking at the protest, DEM Party Provincial Co-Chair Vezan Karabulut said: “For weeks our voices have been hitting the walls and coming back. Our children and relatives are isolated in prisons, their releases postponed and sentences are given. Prisoners who have completed 30 years are not being executed. Recently, woman prisoners have been sentenced. Such practices are inhumane and we want the isolation and inhumane practices in prisons to end as soon as possible. Once again, we are shouting no to isolation in prisons.”

 

'STOP THE WAR'

 

Medine Kaymaz, a member of the Peace Mothers Izmir Assembly and a relative of a prisoner, said: “We are the Peace Mothers. We want peace for the whole world, Kurdish and Turkish alike. As long as the leader of the Kurds is imprisoned, this persecution will not go away, peace will not come to Turkey, all of Turkey should know this. We are in favor of peace, not massacres and persecution. Stop the persecution of Kurds and the war in Kurdistan.” 

 

The statement ended with the slogans “No to isolation, freedom for prisoners”, “Bijî berxedana zindanan” and “Jin, jiyan, azadî (Woman, life, freedom)”.