The police has taken into custody 20 activists protesting at the premises of Amnesty International. The protest was in solidarity with the hunger strike resistance demanding the end of isolation against PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan. 

 

The protest action organized jointly by the Roj Women's Assembly, the Union of Socialist Women, the Cultural Association of Migrant Workers (Gik-Der) and the Kurdish People's Assembly began on Wednesday when a group of activists entered Amnesty International's premises.

 

Meetings with Amnesty International executives gave no results.

 

Amnesty International executives closed the doors of the premises and put special security on the door. The use of rest rooms was forbidden to those inside. Those activists who were forced to leave the building to go to the rest rooms were not allowed back in. 

 

Activists given that they achieved nothing from the meeting with Amnesty International executives had decided to continue their protest until Monday. The activists criticised Amnesty's poor stand, saying that the organisation’s behaviour is unacceptable. In fact for calling itself a humanitarian organisation, Amnesty has shown very little if none sensitivity towards the activists, especially those on huger strike for 43 days. 

 

Amnesty International called the police at 01.00 urging them to empty the building. Police stormed into the building and attacked the activists who they handcuffed and detained.

 

Those in the building were taken into custody and the activists waiting outside were also attacked by the police. 

 

Nahide Zengin and Mehmet Sait Yılmaz, who have been on hunger strike for 44 days, were attacked by the police. Nahide Zengin, whose health condition deteriorated and had been taken to hospital on Friday, refused treatment and was brought back. She was allowed into Amnesty premises. 

 

Detainees were taken to different police stations in London, mainly in Barnet.

 

Condemning Amnesty International's approach to the protest, the British Kurdish People's Council said: “We want to condemn the approach of the Amnesty International and its reponse to the peaceful action we were carrying out.”

 

The statement added: “Amnesty International has in fact imposed isolation for three days on the activists. They have closed their doors to activists and even refused the use of the rest rooms to those inside its premises. We were demanding Amnesty to act as it should do, given that it calls itself a human rights organisation. Instead of listening to these demands, Amnesty International tried to intimidate the activists first, and this morning, called the police. We, as the Kurdish People's Assembly of Britain, condemn Amnesty International and its unethical and inhumane approach. This approach is a smear for Amnesty International and they have made it clear that they are not on the same side with the oppressed.

 

We condemn the British police as well as the Turkish police. They have attached activists who have been on hunger strike for 44 days.”