The statement below is a translation of the invitation to the congress on the prison situation in Turkey, which we are forwarding. DHKC London Information Bureau ------------------------------------------ Dear comrades, The Solidarity Association of Prisoners' Families (TAYAD) in Turkey is organising a congress from November 10 to 12 under the heading "The Reality of the Prisons". On the first day a declaration is to be adopted, on the second day speakers from various countries will have the opportunity to talk about the prison situation and the history of solitary confinement in their own countries, and on the last day the congress will end with a podium discussion. The reason for this congress is the introduction of newly constructed "F" Type prisons in Turkey. These are being described by human rights circles, intellectuals and the prisoners themselves as places of total "isolation" and "slow death by torture" aimed at the annihilation of their political identity. Several attempts have been made to forcibly transfer prisoners to these installations, but each time the joint solidarity of the prisoners has managed to beat back these attempts. Already in September 1999, 10 prisoners in Ulucanlar (Ankara) were killed by hours-long torture as part of such an attempt. More recently, on July 5, 2000, prisoners in Burdur were attacked for the same reason, and dozens of them were seriously wounded. On October 17, 2000, the prisoners of the DHKP-C (Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front) and the TKP(ML) (Communist Party of Turkey (Marxist-Leninist)) issued a statement declaring that from October 20 they would start an Unlimited Hunger Strike and turn this into a Death Fast. This statement causes in us apprehension that soon there will be deaths again in the prisons of Turkey. The principal demand of the prisoners is the dismantling of the "F" Type prisons; furthermore, they declare that they will die rather than go into the cells. We would be pleased if you could participate in this congress and/or give any further support in this urgent matter. Public opinion must be made to listen to prevent serious human rights violations like these and to ensure that the prisoners can continue to maintain social contact with other prisoners. Isolation is torture, and even in the case of those prisoners whose guilt can be juridically proved, it amounts to being doubly punished. Yours in solidarity For further information, contact: Committee For Struggle Against Torture Through Isolation (IKM) Kreuzweg 12, 20099 Hamburg, Germany Telephone and Fax (0049) (0) 40 280.53.625 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.noisolation.de
