The "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, solution to the Kurdish issue" campaign, which was launched at the international level on October 10 to ensure the physical freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, continues with actions and events. As part of the campaign, the rotating hunger strike started by prisoners in Kurdistan and Turkey prisons on November 27 entered its 33rd day, while relatives of prisoners started the Justice Sit-in in Amed, Mersin, Adana, Wan, Istanbul and Izmir.

 

Prisoner relative Cemile Karakaş, who holds the Justice Sit-in at the Bağcılar district building of the People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) every day from 11.00 to 17.00 wearing the "Isolation is a Crime against Humanity" apron, spoke about her actions.

 

A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE

 

Cemile Karakaş's son, Hamgin Karakaş, continues his hunger strike in Afyonkarahisar Bolvadin Type T Closed Prison. Stating that she has been participating in the Justice Sit-in for 13 days to meet the demands of her son and other prisoners, Cemile Karakaş said: "I participates in the action every day despite having a health problem. I comes from Şirinevler to Bağcılar by changing 3 cars every day to participate in the Justice Sit-in. This situation is a matter of conscience for me. I left all the work I had to do during the day and joined the watch. I have my children at home. I have a lot of work left unfinished during the day, but I still come here. While our children are on hunger strike in prison, I am morally disturbed by this situation. This is not only true for my son, it is true for all our prisoners. We do not want corpses to be released from prisons. My son is very ill and weak. Despite this, he is still resisting in prison." 

 

CALLS FOR MORE SUPPORT

 

Stating that citizens, political parties and democratic mass organizations have supported them since the day they were on guard duty, Karakaş said: "These visits both made me happy and increased our faith in their struggle. I will continue to come to the sit-in until my children's demands are met. They find a solution to everything, why doesn't the state find a solution to this situation? We don't want any mother to cry anymore. We want even more support, we expect more participation. Let these actions start everywhere."

 

'I NEVER GIVEN UP'

 

Stating that the Justice Sit-in action was launched in 2021 to release ill prisoners and that she participated in this action for 11 months, Karakaş said: “I participated in the Justice Sit-in action with 5 mothers every Thursday for 11 months. They were beating us and detaining us every Thursday. I was tortured a lot. Once, while I was being detained, they put 9 handcuffs on my hand. Now I have torn fibers in both my arms and knees. Also, slipping appeared in my waist. Despite this pressure, I never gave up. We got results against this resistance. The pressure on them has eased a little. We resisted despite everything." 

 

'JUSTICE SHOULD BE FOR EVERYONE'

 

Demanding justice for his children, Karakaş said: “Everyone should be equal in this country. As Kurds, we also want our rights, our language and our identity. Our children also want their rights. Justice should be for everyone. There is a solution to everything. Why isn't there a solution to the isolation?"

 

'WE WILL DO OUR BEST FOR ÖCALAN'

 

Necmettin Toptamur, a member of the Anatolian Association of Assistance and Solidarity with Those Who Lost Their Relatives (ANYAKAY-DER), who came to support the action, stated that there were protests for PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan in many parts of the world and said: “We will do whatever we can for Mr. Öcalan. This is not only our demand, but also the demand of the Kurdish people. This request is; Ensuring Abdullah Öcalan's physical freedom and lifting the isolation. If it doesn't exist, we won't exist either. If Mr. Öcalan is freed from this captivity, peace will come to the world and the Middle East; that's why, we do not accept this isolation and what is happening in prisons. We will continue to keep watch here."