The voices of Turkey’s resisting prisoners were heard in Alicante

On Saturday, 17 January, a panel discussion was held in Alicante, Spain, on Turkey’s revolutionary prisoners, the Pit Type Prisons, and their resistance against them. 

The Communist Party of Spain is following the resistance of Turkey’s prisoners with interest. 

To obtain first-hand information, they invited the wife of a prisoner who went on an indefinite hunger strike and won the victory to speak. 

The panel discussed the Pit-Type Prisons built in Turkey in 2020 and their political, ideological, architectural, physical, and psychological effects. 

Reference was also made to the indefinite hunger strikes being held in protest these prisons. 

A list of hunger strikes held to date was presented, and it was emphasised that all resistance had resulted in victory. 

Attention was drawn to the fact that five prisoners are currently on hunger strike. 

Those attending the panel were asked to write cards/letters to Tahsin Sağaltıcı, Gürkan Türkoğlu, Ali Dilmen, Hüseyin Özen and Doğan Karataştan, who are on indefinite hunger strike. 

Those present noted down the addresses of these prisoners and indicated that they would respond to the call. 

The participants listened to the panel with great interest and asked very interesting questions afterwards. 

For example, they asked where the prisoners found the strength to carry out such a resistance. 

They also asked how much of Turkish society was aware of these prisons. 

Furthermore, they asked what proportion supported the prisoners in resistance and what proportion did not. 

There was also curiosity about whether female prisoners were being thrown into Pit Type prisons. 

The latest situation regarding Serkan Onur Yılmaz was also asked about. ‘Is he still on hunger strike? I haven’t fully understood the latest developments,’ someone asked. 

After this very productive panel, a group photo was taken, and the event came to an end.