DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (A.W.)—On Oct. 30, the 49th day of the hunger-strike of political prisoners in Turkey, many cities and towns with a significant Kurdish population came to a standstill, heeding the call of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) to support the hunger-strikers.
In Diyarbakir, Van, Hakkari, Dersim, Cizre Silopi, the streets were empty and businesses were closed. Protesters marched in front of the public prisons.
In the Baglar district of Diyarbakir, police resorted to tear gas and water cannons to disperse the 10,000 demonstrators who were marching towards the E-type prison. The protesters responded with Molotov cocktails and stones. A journalist was wounded. Youth burned tires and stopped the traffic along the streets, preventing the police from approaching the demonstrators. From balconies and rooftops of the nearby buildings, residents threw various objects at the police.
During the day-long demonstration scores were detained.
Translated from Turkish by Natalie Afacanyan.
Gulisor Akkum
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