Intellectuals call for end to hunger strikes

ISTANBUL

Turkish intellectuals, writers, academics and journalists have called for an end to the hunger strikes that have been undertaken by thousands of prisoners and are approaching a critical point.

“As long as the government authorities continue their insensitivity, thousands of young people approach death step by step. We can not be silent to this nightmare,” the intellectuals announced in a written statement.

Dozens of intellectuals, including writer Aydın Engin, Professor Ayşe Berkman, journalist Nadire Mater and musician Ferhat Tunç, have called on the government to take concrete steps toward ending the prison hunger strikes. Titled, “Before it is too late, before the hunger strikes turn into deaths,” the intellectuals’ statement stated that Turkey was “on the verge of a nightmare.”

“The prisoners want to conduct their defense in their native language. Whether we approve of their methods or not, it doesn’t change the humanitarian drama that we are facing right now,” the statement said. Those who signed the declaration called on the government to show “goodwill” in finding a solution to the problem.