No intervention in Nuriye Gülmen’s hunger strike: Turkey’s Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül


nsnbc : There have been no interventions in Nuriye Gülmen’s hunger strike during her stay in hospital, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül said on October 5. “Gülmen is currently under treatment at Numune Hospital and her hunger strike has not been intervened,” Gül told lawmakers in Ankara.

Gülmen and Özcakca - Turkey, where practicing law lands attorneys behind bars.

Gülmen and Özcakca – Turkey, where practicing law lands attorneys behind bars.

Semih Özakça and Nuriye Gülmen began a sit-in protest in Ankara’s central Kizılay neighborhood on November 9 before beginning their hunger strike on March 9 in protest at being dismissed from their jobs with state of emergency decrees. Their demands are to be returned to their jobs. They were arrested on May 23 and have been continuing their hunger strike in jail. Gülmen and Özakça had been held at the infirmary of Sincan Prison, where they were taken to on July 31, 2016.

Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül said authorities have allowed the Turkish Medical Association to visit Gülmen, a literature professor, and Semih Özakça, a primary school teacher whom she has been on hunger strike with for over seven months.

“Our doctors are watching the process. International agreements give permission to intervene upon tissue loss or loss of consciousness. At the moment, the conditions are observed at all times. We can all also put some effort into ending the hunger strike,” Gül added.

The Ankara 19th High Criminal Court is continuing the highly controversial case against Özakça and Gülmen, in which they are accused of “being a member of an armed terrorist organization,” “violating the law on demonstrations and meetings,” and “making propaganda for a terrorist organization,” facing sentences of up to 20 years in jail.

However, Gülmen, who was taken to the Ankara Numune Hospital on September 25, was not brought to her hearing on September 14, with the court’s board citing a hospital report indicating that her condition was not suitable for her to attend.

Two days before the trial date 13 the lawyers of the two defendants were detained. The detention of Gülmen and Özakca was – among others – prolonged because they did not appear in court – which is not surprising considering that they were not allowed to be brought to the court. 10 of their attorneys were arrested before the trial.

On September 25, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Şenal Saruhan said the hospital had indicated that Gülmen’s “water intake has deteriorated and she is having troubles sleeping and smelling. But she is conscious and lucid despite the serious deterioration of her health.” In his defense, Özakça said authorities took Gülmen to hospital in order to prevent her from attending the hearing. “They took Nuriye to [hospital] in order to avoid bringing her to the hearing. But forced intervention is a crime against humanity,” he added.

F/AK – nsnbc 06.10.2017



Source Article from https://nsnbc.me/2017/10/06/86545/

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