KURDISH HUNGER STRIKES IN TURKEY

Motion Text

That this House expresses its deep concern for the welfare of around 250 Kurdish prisoners in Turkey, who have begun an indefinite hunger strikes in protest against the prison conditions of imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan; notes that some protestors, including Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Leyla Guven, have now entered their third month of continuous strike; further notes that thousands joined a rally in Istanbul on 3 February 2019 in support of the hunger strikers; recognises that, by depriving Öcalan of visits from lawyers and family and keeping him in isolation, Turkey violates not only international conventions on human rights but its own constitution; and calls on the UK Government to make representations to the Turkish Government to end the imprisonment in isolation of Öcalan and their ongoing persecution of Kurdish politicians.