European Parliament
Marios Matsakis (ALDE ). –
Mr President, F-type isolation prisons for political detainees were introduced in Turkey at the end of 2000 with the aim of psychologically breaking, and subsequently re-educating, the prisoners. In the last 6 years, 28 people have been killed, 122 have died on hunger strike and there have been thousands of protests from within, as well outside, Turkey.
Mr Behiç Aşçı, an Istanbul lawyer representing F-type prisoners, has been on hunger strike for 251 days. Mr President, you yourself, much to your credit, took some protest actions a few weeks ago, but the Turkish authorities have been stubbornly deaf. Mr Aşçı is now very near to death. I plead with you to communicate directly and urgently with the Turkish Prime Minister and request that he deal with the case of Mr Aşçı personally in a last effort to save the life of a European-minded Turkish idealist.

