Turkish hunger strikers

Left-wing prisoners in Turkey - and some of their
supporters launched the hunger strikes in October
2000 in protest at the government's policy of
moving inmates from large dormitories housing up
to 100 people to small cells for up to three people.

They claim the cells make them isolated and
vulnerable to abuse by guards, But the Turkish
Government counters that the large halls were
virtual training camps for militants and a breeding
ground of riots.

In recent years, many Kurdish separatists in
Turkish jails have died on hunger strike. It is
alleged that 6 hunger strikers died during 2004,
Kurdish or other. They protested against small
prison cells which are felt to facilitate torture.

T he Government maintains that 189 hunger
strikers received presidential pardons since 2000.
Turkey's poor human rights record causes many
Europeans to oppose its accession to the
European Union.