Austrian deputy reacts over request to address isolations prisons in Turkey

Following a request by the Freedom Initiative for Political Prisoners to members of the Austrian Parliament, a positive response came from the office of a member of the National Council – responsible for human rights and constitutional matters – regarding the inhumane conditions in isolation prisons in Turkey and the critical situation of prisoners on hunger strike.

The letter contains following lines:

“The conditions you describe in high-security prisons and the dramatic situation of those on hunger strike are cause for great concern. Compliance with humane conditions of detention and the right to fair treatment are fundamental values that must be repeatedly demanded at the international level.

We will carefully examine the information you have provided and include it in the ongoing discussions on human rights issues.

Thank you for bringing this urgent matter to our attention.”

In the coming weeks there will be a personal meeting with another deputy of the National Council in Austria, also in relation to the human rights violations in pit-type (S,R,Y) and high security isolation prisons in Turkey.

The demands of the political prisoners on hunger strike for the closure of these pit-like prisons should be accepted immediately to avoid death and long-term health damage among hunger-striking prisoners.