Socialist Worker: Fasting against isolation cells in Turkey

December 19, 2006 in Behic Asci, F Type, Hunger Strike, Isolation, Torture

A one man hunger strike by Turkish lawyer Behiç Aşçı – launched on 5 April to mark World Lawyers Day – entered its 300th consecutive day on 19 November. The government continued to ignore his demand that they address the issue of the isolation of prisoners in the country’s controversial maximum security F-type prisons.Aşçı began the fast because, he says, he could no longer sit back and watch his clients die.

He has dedicated his legal career to human rights and social justice. A prominent member of the Turkish Association of Progressive Lawyers, Aşçı has represented more than 10,000 clients, including many of the political prisoners who have been sentenced for their membership of banned revolutionary socialist organisations. Political prisoners held in Turkey, including Kurdish activists, number in the thousands.

The failure to address the problems of F-type prisons has so far driven 122 inmates to die through hunger strikes, while another 600 have been left crippled.

The isolation prisons are designed to terrorise, humiliate and break the morale of the political prisoners. Many of the prisoners Behiç Aşçı represented have had their feet taped together and their hands taped behind their backs. Left alone, immobilised, for hours or days at a time and unable to avail themselves of toilet facilities, they are forced to endure the indignity of repeatedly soiling themselves. Many of Aşçı’s clients, both men and women, had been raped while in custody, often by prison guards using batons.

Throughout the interview Aşçı was calm and eloquent as he explained the factors that led him to make this drastic protest. But the physical signs of such a long time without food were also apparent. No human can normally survive more than 60 days without eating. The use of vitamin supplements can allow a death faster to survive for 300 days or longer.

Please write to the authorities of Turkey calling for a solution to this urgent problem.
President of Turkey, Mr. Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Cumhurbaskanligi 06100 Ankara,Turkey; Fax: +90 312 468 5026
Prime Minister, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, TC Basbakanlik Bakanligi Ankara,Turkey, Fax: + 90 312 417 0476; receptayyip.erdogan@basbakanlik.gov.tr
Interior Minister, Mr Abdulkadir Aksu, Ministry of Interior, Içisleri Bakanligi, 06644 Ankara, Turkey; Fax: + 90 312 418 17 95, aaksu@icisleri.gov.tr
Justice Minister, Mr Cemil Cicek, Ministry of Justice/ Adalet Bakanligi , 06659 Ankara, Turkey; Fax: + 90 312 418 5667, ccicek@adalet.gov.tr
Foreign Minister, Mr Abdullah Gül, Office of the Prime Minister, Basbakanlik,06573 Ankara, Turkey; Fax: + 90 312 417 04 76, agul@mfa.gov.tr

Elifsu Inan, London

Socialist Worker