As the hunger strike in Turkish prisons reached its 103rd day, women who have participated in the strikes have shared a message of resistance for International Women’s Day.

Political prisoners in Turkey launched a hunger strike on 27 November 2020 to protest against the prison conditions of Abdullah Öcalan, who has been under heavy isolation on Imralı Island since 1999. The hunger strikers demand an end to the isolation conditions of Abdullah Öcalan and to the violation of prisoners’ rights in Turkey. In support of the strike in Turkey, hunger strikes have also arisen in the Makhmur Martyrs’ Families Association camp in Iraq and the Lavrio Camp in Greece.

While periodic pressure against the hunger striking prisoners continues, 50 prisoners in the Diyarbakır D-type Closed Prison recently transferred to the High Security Prison, including Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP for Diyarbakır (Amed) Musa Farisoğulları

To mark International Women’s Day, female prisoners on hunger strike declared their political goals to Yeni Özgür Politika.

The women said they will end the absolute isolation through organisation, participation and resistance. Stating that Öcalan’s freedom is their own freedom, they said, “We further our claim of freedom for more organisation and strength in a time of violence and societal pressure against women in particular”.

‘”Women can achieve success through the strengthened and organised struggle of every day life”, the prisoners said in their letter. ”We will continue the actions of ‘Time to Ensure Freedom’ and ‘Time to Defend Free Women and Society’ until they end the isolation in prisons. Our aim is to make the 21st century a woman’s century. Victory always belongs to the resistance”.