Euro Parliament chief calls for end to hunger strike

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

President of European Parliament Martin Schulz delivers a speech 'Die Europa-Rede ?The State of Europe' during a yearly conference with high representatives of the European Union at the Paul Loeb house in the German parliament in Berlin on November 9, 2012. AFP photo

The president of the European Parliament has expressed his concern at the critical condition of hunger strikers in Turkish prisons, noting that he had raised the worries with the justice minister while calling on the protesters to end their action.

“I follow with concern the hunger strike of jailed Kurdish prisoners, among them elected officials, and of members of Parliament in Turkey. My immediate concern is for the health of those undertaking this desperate, non-violent action,” Martin Schulz said in a statement posted on his website yesterday, adding that he was confident that Turkish authorities were doing their utmost to provide the best medical assistance to all those engaged in the action.

“I call on hunger strikers to put an end to an action which is putting their life in peril and to revert to political dialogue as a way to advance their requests. I call on the Turkish authorities to address the concerns of the protesters. In this respect, I welcome the government’s proposed legislation amending the Code of Criminal Procedure to allow the use of mother tongue during courts proceeding. I hope this will be implemented swiftly and fully,” Schulz said.