>From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Turkish prisoners reported near death in hunger strike > > >The Associated Press > >ANKARA, Turkey (December 17, 2000 6:16 a.m. EST >http://www.nandotimes.com) - A prisoners' group said Saturday that dozens >of prisoners on a 58-day hunger strike are near death. > >Some 250 prisoners linked to left-wing groups are refusing everything but >water to protest transfers from their dormitory-style open wards to one- or >three-person cells. > >The prisoners say the cells would leave them vulnerable to abuse by >authorities. > >Mediation efforts ended Friday over what Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk >called the prisoners' "unacceptable" demand to be housed in 20-person >rooms. The government wants to break up large wards, which it cannot >control and where riots and hostage-takings are frequent. > >"Only hours are left till death," a statement from Ozgur Tayad, a >solidarity group for prisoners' families said. It said the prisoners would >not abandon the strike until their demand is met. > >Umit Erkol, head of an Ankara-based physicians' association whose members >have visited some of the prisoners, said "we can expect the worst now." > >The independent Human Rights Association said about 20 prisoners were in >critical condition. > > > > >-- >Press Agency Ozgurluk >In Support of the Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Struggle in Turkey >http://www.ozgurluk.org >DHKC: http://www.ozgurluk.org/dhkc > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for geopolitics. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
