Republican News · Thursday 30 May 2002

other hunger striker dies in Turkey

Turkish political prisoner Okan Kulekci died last week in Sagmalcilar State Hospital on the 240th day of his hunger strike. Kulekci had started his fast in Tekirdag F-Type Prison and was later moved to hospital.

Prisoners are continuing to resist isolation in new high-security F-Type prisons by fasting and on 1 May, an eighth team embarked on hunger strike. They are: Sengul Arslan in Bakirkoy Prison; Yusuf Arici and Erkan Koncuk in Sincan F-Type; Sinan Akbayir in Kiriklar F-Type; Nihat Palabiyik and Yavuz Ates in Kandira F-Type; Mesut Akbulut in Edirne F-Type and Ali Sahin in Tekirdag F-Type.

A vigil to mark the death of Okan Kulekci was held at the Turkish Embassy in Dublin on Tuesday 28 May.