Urgent appeal:

November 01, 2012

To the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), To the Parliament of the European Union, To the Parliament of the United Kingdom, To Amnesty International, To Human Rights Watch, To international media outlets, and To all political parties, trade unions and freedom lovers across the world:

The lives of hundreds of Kurdish political prisoners in Turkey must be saved.

We are writing to you regarding the recent wave of mass protests and hunger strikes in Turkey by Kurdish people. 63 Kurdish political prisoners have been on hunger strike for political solution to the Kurdish Question in Turkey since Sept 12th 2012. The hunger strike has been spreading day by day. While by the end of October the number of prisoners on hunger strike reached about 700 in more than 50 prisons, on November 5th spokesperson of the political prisoners declared that from now on 10,000 political prisoners are on hunger strike. They are striving to gain respect from the Turkish state for their basic human rights that have been suppressed for many decades. These basic rights include such rights as the right to respect for their basic human dignity, which already is enjoyed by people who are not treated like third-class citizens and who do not have to endure degrading discrimination due to their ethnic identity; the right to speak and to write in their mother tongue; and political rights such as the rights to freedom of expression and the right to equal citizenship. In addition, the strikers seek freedom for Abdulla Ocalan, the Kurdish leader of the Workers Party of Kurdistan (PKK) who was kidnapped by the Turkish authorities and has been imprisoned under terrible conditions in Turkish prisons for over 13 years. Turkey claims to be a modern democratic state while at the same time thousands of Kurds are forced to be Turkish, to renounce their origins, and to live under a false Turkish identity forced upon them violently by the racist, discriminatory laws of the Turkish state.

Furthermore, millions of Kurds in Turkey have been subjected to mass murder, displacement, forced relocation, imprisonment, torture, the denial of equal citizenship. While Turkeys Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan has tried to appear as a saviour to other Muslim people in Palestine and Somalia by deploying humanitarian aid, thousands of Kurdish people in Turkey have been imprisoned and battered simply for wanting to enjoy the same basic rights and freedoms as the rest of the Turkish population. Since September 2012, more than 700 Kurdish political prisoners in Turkey have been on hunger strike. Their lives are now in grave danger. Medical professionals in Turkey have warned that deaths will start to occur at any moment due to the prolonged hunger strike. For decades, the nationalist state of Turkey has refused to recognise the existence of Kurds and has banned the Kurdish language and culture. In addition, any political or even cultural activities by Kurdish people have been met by violence. If Turkey calls itself democratic, why then are its prisons overcrowded with Kurdish political activists, mayor, MPs, women, children, intellectuals, academics, and journalists? This says a lot about the nature and state of Turkish democracy! We therefore call upon the United Nations organizations and agencies, the Parliament of the European Union, the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and all nongovernmental organisations worldwide to intervene and to put all necessary pressure on the Turkish regime so that Turkey will respond respectfully to the Kurdish peoples demands and will accept their demands. At the same time, our hearts go out to the political prisoners in Turkey and we call upon them to stop this hunger strike so that their lives will be saved. Too many precious lives already have been lost in the struggle for equality in Turkey.

Sincerely,

The undersigned:
Yanar Mohammed: Womens rights activist-Iraq Houzan Mahmoud: Political activist, and womens rights campaigner-Kurdistan/Iraq Sarwar Penjwnei: Writter-Kurdistan-Iraq Shamal Ali: Political Activist Sweden Helena Pinto, Member of Parliament, Portugal Dr. Dana Saeed Sofie: Memebr of Kurdistan Parliament-Kurdistan-Iraq Dr Sarwar Abdulrahman: Memebr of Kurdistan Parliament-Kurdistan-Iraq Kamal Raouf: Editor in chief of Hawlati newspaper-Kurdistan/Iraq

Naliya Ibrahim: Politician- Sweden Najiba Mahmood: Journalist and womens rights activist- Sweden Venus Faiq: Journalist-Kurdistan Antnio Avels, president of the Great Lisbon Teacher's Union (SPGL), Portugal Dr. Choman Hardi: independent writer and academic Asos Hardi: Owner of Awene Company for Newspaper publishing-Kurdistan-Iraq Shadi Amin: Political activist-Germany Halal Rafie: Womens rights activist-Sweden Shadi Sadr: lawyer and feminist-UK/Iran Jamal Xambar: Lawyer & Poet- Australia Saeed Arman: International Organisation of Iranian Refugees Paulo Fidalgo, Doctor, President of Communist Renovation, Lisbon, Portugal Dr Rebwar saeed: Art lecturer University of Sulaimany-Kurdistan-Iraq Elhamy Elmerghany: Socialist People's Alliance Party-Egypt Reza Manochehri: Journalist and Civil society activist-Germany Jeffery Humfeld: Kansas City, MO, USA Sara Mohammad: chairwoman of the Never forget Pela and Fadime organisation in Sweden Tara Jaff: Musician-UK Jani Diylan: journalist /Broadcaster/ Artist Bill Weinberg: journalist-U.S.A Evan Darraji: writer & painter \Iraq Dr.Eshur Kumar, Psychiatrist (Pakistan) Zafar Imam Writer/Columist (Pakistan) Dr.Haresh Kumar: Psychiatrist and Activist, Editor of Monthly class Struggle (Pakistan) Mohamed Khan Ahmadani: Trade Unionist (Watan Dost Mazdor Fedration), Sindh Pakistan Jilah Bakhshayesh: Political activist for anti-racist and anti-discrimination issues Suhail Zahawi: Writer and political activist- Erbil Kurdistan/ Iraq Shamal Aba Rash: Actor-Kurdistan-Iraq

Koband develeopmet-Political Organsiation-Kurdistan Akam Noaman Halabjaey: Journalist and student-Kurditan-Iraq Fatah Zaxoye: Political observer-Kurdistan-Iraq Twana Omar: Deputy Editor in chief of Honya Magazine-Kurdistan-Iraq Reza Rauf: University lecturer-Austria Dr.Zafer Fehmi Yrk: Izmir, Turkey Khanim Rahim Latif: Womens rights activist-Kurdistan/Iraq Awder Abdulrahman Rahim: Student-Kurdistan-Iraq Emad Ali: Political observer-Kurdistan-Iraq Hiva Panahi: Writer & Professor of political & social sciences -Pantios Universty-Greece Rebwar Hassan: University Lecturer -Stockholm Sweden Qubady Jalizada: Poet and retired Judge-Kurdistan-Iraq Dr. Nadim Al-Jawahiri: Med.Doc. Vienna, Austria Qasim Marzani-Lecturer -university of Salahaddin Kurdistan-Iraq Soran Ramazan: president of the Federation of civil society organisations in Kurdistan-Iraq Muslih Irwani: Lecturer and Researcher, Lincoln-UK Dr.Satya Prakash: Film Maker-Mumbai-India Hiwa Said Salaim: Memebr of Politcal beurau of Kurdistan Toilers party Head office of the General Student Union in Kurdistan-Iraq Shamal Raof: Civil society activist-Kurdistan Lanja Abdulla: Journalist-Kurdistan-Iraq Soraya Falah: researcher & writer USA Hasan Mustafa: Journalist-Kurdistan Ali Mahmood: political activist-Kurdistan/Iraq Jaza Hama Salih Wali: chairman of Sociologists and psychologists association-Kurdistan Rebwar Hamid: Cameraman and human rights activist London-UK Dana Naqishbendi: Freelance Journalist-Vienna Austria Hama Rashid Heres: Writer and theatre actor Canada

Maria Hagberg, Women's Rights Activist, member of coordination IFE- EFI www.efi-ife.org Kit Larsen Hughes: Retired teacher-Stockholm, Sweden Lilian halls-french. Co-president European feminist Initiative IFE-EFI . Paris-France Roman Z. Baban: Journalist-UK Nicola Stott: Centre for women's studies-University of York-UK Muhsin Kareem: Political personality-Kurdistan-Iraq Kazhal Nory: Civil society activist and womens rights campaigner-Holland Renaud Romagnan: IT Worker in Astrophysics-France Nicolas Dessaux: Solidarit Irak-France Liam McNulty: Alliance for Workers' Liberty, London Mark Manning, maintenance worker, Seattle Saira Zuberi: Canada Esther Townsend: Workers' Liberty and University of East London Students' Union Martyn Hudson: workers liberty Bill Henning: Communication Workers Association Local 1180-New York, NY Salah Raouf: Musician-Germany Rabab El-Mahdi, University Professor Martin Lf, Vnsterpartiet, Sweden Gona Saeed: womens rights activist-UK Xulfi Mahesar: Political activist-Pakistan Raoof Sofie: Accountant-Nottingham-UK Rashid Ali: (Tabqati Jidojahed Marxist) Dr.Satyaparkash Gupta: Film maker , Mumbai India. Dr.Ravi Kumar: (Young Droctor's Association ) SINDH Dr.Kailash Kumar: Political activist and writter.(Sindh, Pakistan) Dr.Jae Deep: Dubai Monika Roli: Sweden Ata Mufty: London-UK

Tanya Mohammed: Editor in chief of Blesa Monthly Magazine-Kurdistan Khandan Mohamed Jaza: Writter and womens rights activist-Norway Koshan Ali Zaman: MA student in international relations- Kurdistan Kader Nadir: civil society acitivst-Sweden Hawar Bazyan: Journalist-Sweden Dr Yousif Zangana: UK Fouad Qaradaghi: Writer Kurdistan-Iraq Stivan Shamzini: Editor in chief of shapol magazine-Kurdistan-Iraq Twana Taha: Coordinator of the office of todays vision for journalist observation-Kurdistan Faraidon Bewar: Social researcher and journalist-Kurdistan-Iraq Rzgar Hama Rashid: Writer and theatre actor-Canada Nala Hasan: Writer and poet-Canada Nihad Jami: Writer and theatre actor-Kurdistan-Kurdistan Shahin Shahlaye: Stockholm-Sweden Bawan Serdesht: Student at university of Sheffield-UK Mozafer Ahmadi: Political ActivistYadgar Shekh Islami: Political ActivistNatalia Caruso: NYC-USA Niaz Art Artist-Amsterdam-Holland Thomas Schmidinger: Political scientist- Vienna-Austria Nat Williams: Poet-UK Yifat Susskind: NYC-USA Kristofer Lundberg: Rttvisepartiet Socialisterna Gteborg Sweden Niyaz Abdulla: Civil society activist-Kurdistan-Iraq Aram Jamal: Civil society activist-Kurdistan-Iraq Dr.Yasin Rashid Hasan: University lecturer-Kurdistan-Iraqn Jahangir Abdollahi- Member of Kurdish Human Rights Association-EU Sana Sleman Asaf: Journalist-Kurdistan-Iraq

Sozan Amin: Iraqs committee for Womens Right Tara Taufiq: Iraqs committee for Womens Right Suna Kose, Journalist-UK Brochot, Hayange: labour activist-CGT France Lori M. Rob-Connecticut, USA Afrasyab Grami: Journalist-Germany Malayka Alam Holi: Civil society activist- Germany Twana Hama Rashid: Musician-Kurdistan-Iraq Sophie Boiszeau: Initiative Communiste Ouvrire-France Aram Osmani: Journalist-France Sacha Ismael: Alliance for Workers Liberty Pat Murphy: National Union of Teachers national executive and international committee Daniel Cooper:University of London Union vice president Janine Booth: RMT rail union national executive (pc) Karwan Omar: Artist-Dancer-Switzerland Shadan Fuad: Actress-UK Avin Fatah: Writter-Kurdistan-Iraq Dilshad Hafiz: Political activist-UK Behman Taher Nariman: Journalist-Kurdistan Fakhradin Tahir: Writter and Journalist-Sweden Samera Ahmed: Political activist-UK Aras Nuri Ahmad Taha: Human rights activist-Germany Chnur Akbarpor: Artist Fatima Anamaghi: psychologist, writer and translator Aryan Omed Arif: Journalist-Norway Nuno Manuel Tito de Morais Ramos de Almeida: journalist. Lisbon - Portugal Stare Arif: Civil society activist-Kurdistan Farideh Rezai: Womens rights activist-Sweden

Shahla Dabaghi: womens rights activist-Sweden zz Njen: actor/comedian-Stockholm, Sweden Terry Moon: Journalist, Chicago, Ill, USA Joana Vicente Baginha: MA Student, London Deanne Rauscher: Journalist Sweden Jude Jackson: Leicester-UK Rezan Saleh - Artist Belgium Lukmani Haci Kerim; Writter-UK Heather Shaw: Education worker, Sheffield UK Dr. Selah Germian: Psychologist Australia Luis Miguel de Almeida Carvalho: Journalist- Portugal Naskah Zada: Journalist Washington D.C Yadgar Fayaq: Journalsit at NRT-Kurdistan-Iraq Katherine Natanel: Student - London Media Zahawy: Health and social care Advisor-UK Alan Mohtadi: National board of education Sweden Berivan Sindi: Project Executive- Sweden Sores Armanc: Project Manager- Sweden Dilara Cetinkaya, Student -Sweden Avan Faris Jaff- Journalist-Kurdistan Yekbun Alp: International affairs board left party in Uppsala Mohammad Mahmoodzadeh: Student at Sheffield University Elena Budakci: Psychiatric Nurse-Sweden Dilshad Questani: Artist-Paris-France Kal Karim: Worker- Switzerland Aven Aziz: Writer and Journalist-Sweden Alan Pary: Poet- Denmark Edris Ali: Poet-Kurdistan-Iraq

Ophelia Benson: writer, Seattle-USA Mouloud Swara: Political Activist-UK Faraidon Arif: Writer -Kurdistan Masoud Binandeh: Lecturer-Sociologist-Kurdistan-Iran zz Nujen: Stand-up comedian -Sweden Shilan Saidi: Journalist Sweden Srud Faruq Barzingi: Student-Kurdistan-UK Twana Ali: Worker-Switzerland Berivan Dosky: Councilor, Iraqi Embassy, Syria Horen Gharib: Theatre actor- Kurdistan ASO Xanm Hamasalih: Poet- Germany Mahmood Rash mahmood: Kurdistan-Iraq Karzan Ali: Teacher, Bromsgrove, UK Sirwan Jalal: Journalist-Kurdistan-Iraq Sangar Salaye: ART of music, Holland Nia Amen: Human rights activist-Germany Sarwar Saeed: Social worker Harem Karem: Lecturer, UK. Kathy Black: union leader, Philadelphia, PA, USA Saleh Mirawdaly: writer-UK Bakr Abdulrahman: Cartoonist-Kurdistan-Iraq Ala Ali: Womens rights activist- Kurdistan-Iraq Soreya Tahir: London-UK Bahman Omar Journalist-Kurdistan-Iraq Bandi Ali - Author - Darmstadt , Germany Ranj Hejar: Writer / journalist-UK Sarkaw Ameen: manager, Oslo-Norway Saman Hama Gareeb journalist-Kurdistan-Iraq

Haval Nazhad Abbas- lawyer- Kurdistan-Iraq Bora Shamlo - Photographer London-UK Soran Omar Mhealden: Design Technical Manager- Sweden-Gothenburg Shanta Sultana: Journalist/ London-UK Roman Zagros: Media Analyst, UK Ezat Malaky: Accountant, Civil Rights Activist; Vancouver, Canada. Avin Mirawdeli: PhD Student-London Chnoor Hama Amin: -Independent personality Parez Sardar: MSc Social Work - Lincoln-UK Azad Bakir: Political activist- London-UK Khedir R Khedir: University professor, USA Adnan Gily: Political observer-Sweden Yassin Abdullah Rash: Oslo-Norway Roshna Hama Abdullah: Oslo, Norway Saryas Qaradaghi: Writer-UK Nahro Allaey: political activist-Kurdistan Saman Faraj: Freelance writer& Student at the University Of Sheffield, England Harez Hassan: Finland Avin Kakay-belgium Raper Osman Ozeri: Activist-Kiev- Ukraine Nehro Shawqi: Kurdistan/Iraq Hersh Yasin: Poet-Kurdistan/Iraq Zryan Kaka: Student Derby- UK Goshi Baneiy - Civil society activist-Holland Sherif Kashkoli: Austria Honar Tofiq: Writter-Denmark Kochar Namo: Journalist-Sweden Mzhda Kamil: Kurdistan

Nihad Herki: Journalist-Kurdistan Nahid Mokri: Womens/humans rights activist-Sweden Farman Sdeiq: Journalist-Kurdistan Hiwa Barzinji: Journalist-Kurdistan Aziz Rashid Hariri: Writter and Journalist-Kurdistan-Iraq Karzan Osman: Journalist-Kurdistan Rebwar Saeed: Political activist-Kurdistan Kajal Ali Hamabor: Cologne-Germany Payze Ahmad: Writer and activist-UK Mohamed Goran: Writter and journalist-Kurdistan Mohammed Fariq Hassan: Writter Hemn Hama Jaza: Poet and Musician-Kurdistan Khabat Aref Marouf: Nurse-Sweden Shwan Khorshid: Writer and journalist Arsalan Mahmoud: writer and journalist- Kurdistan Hawraman Ali: writer-Finland Nazhad Siwaily: Canada Chia Renwar: IT-consultant, Sweden Hama Kaka Rash: poet and writer-Sweden Kamil Ahmad: Artist-Germany Trifa Aziz: Germany Fariba Mohamedi: Journalist-Kurdistan Baxteir Sharazwri: Writer-Kurdistan Khulia Hussein: Womens rights activist and poet-UK Shakar Aziz: Pharmacist-UK Omar Gholami: Journalist-Kurdistan Salar Amin Mardan: Kerkuk-Kurdistan Rebaz Musatafa: Writer and translator: Kurdistan-Iraq

Habiba Hama Salih: House wife-Kurdistan-Iraq Niga Ahmad: UK Nyan Ahmad: UK Mihraban Ali Rasoul: Finland Nawzad Sherdil: Worker-Canada Alan Kaka: Lawyer-Canada Dyar Halabjae: Poet-Kurdistan-Iraq Aso Khalid: translator- Kurdistan-Iraq Pshtiwan Latif: Civil Society acitivst-Kurdistan-Iraq Kirmanj Gundi: University lecturer-USA Shahla Rostam: Finland Sarkhel Hashm: Journalist-Kurdistan-Iraq Dr Najih Golpi: Halabja-Kurdistan Arsalan Rahman: Journalist-Kurdistan-Iraq Hiwa Jamail: Journalist-Kurdistan Sirwan Saeed: Member of Gorran-Movement for Change-UK Goran Aziz Hariri: Writer Lawzha Jawad: Womens Rights activist-Denmark Ramona Fransson: Author - Sweden Jirwan Nuri: Media studies student-Kurdistan Ara Nasimi: Media studies student-Sweden Ronak Shwani: Writer and civil society activist-Sweden Ibrahim Zahawy: London-UK Rawzia Roustam: London- UK Parosh Muharam Mhamad: Sweden Ayub Faek: Canada Lailan Maronsi: journalist Kazm Mahmoud Shamirani: Student-Kurdistan-Iraq

Azad Aziz Mohedin Mawati: Political activist-UK Sara Omar: Lawyer and poet-Denmark Juma Muhamad Kakamand: Student-Finland Niaz Bayati: Artist-Denmark Farok Karim: Political veteran- Germany Diyar Kamil: Student- Manchester- UK Rebaz Muhamad: Switzerland Mahmoud Mohamed Osman: Writer-Holland Glena Kurdi: Student, London, United Kingdom Hawder Khthir: Student English Department Kurdistan-Iraq Goran Dukani: Journalist-USA Aras Rashid: Political activist-Canada Maryam Abdulrahman: Womens rights activist-Canada Hasan Salih: Translator: Sweden Khabat Marf: Austria Taeb Baker: Austria Rzgar Ibrahim: Kerkuk-Kurdistan-Iraq Dana Sabir: Peterborough-UK Shapol Said: Hairdresser-UK Darya Said Student-UK Askol Said: House wife-UK Shaswar Baban: London- UK. Tavga Hassan: Student- London-UK Tayeb Hooshiar-poet-Germany Tola Marzani: Student- England Zhwan Ahmed Saeed: Journalist-Kurdistan-Iraq Gaziza Ghaderi: Finland Kawan Kadir: Artist-Canada

Abdull Qeregoli: Civil society activist-Swenden Kaywan Hawrami: Journalist-Kurdistan Seido Davood Ali: MA in Clinical psychology, translator Kurdistan-Iraq Khalil Ahmad: Student-UK Herdi Ali: Interpreter and Artist-UK Salah Fathulla: Political activist-Finlad Mansour Hafid: Lawyer-Sweden Nasik Hussein: Poet Canada Sabah Raji: political activist-Norway Banaz Saleh: Student-Norway Ardalan Ahmad: Journalist-Kurdistan Shahram Nameq: Polytechnic leacturer-Kurdistan/Iraq Gulstan Saeed: Nottingham-UK Stefania Pizzotti: Milan- Italy Vian Meriwani: Hannover German Awara Nadr Rashid: Leeds -UK Kaywan Karim London, United Kingdom Helime Rasuli: Womens rights activist-Kurdistan-Iraq Rommel Mamand: Labourer-UK