Austrians March to Protest against Turkish Prison Deaths

Published December 24th, 2000 - 02:00 GMT
Al Bawaba
Al Bawaba

Six hundred people marched through the center of Vienna on Saturday to protest against the actions of Turkish security forces whose four day crackdown on hunger-striking inmates led to the deaths of 28 people. 

The demonstrators gathered in the west of the city and marched through Vienna's main streets before heading for the Turkish embassy. 

"We are fighting against prisoners' being isolated in their cells, to protect their lives", Ali Yol, spokesman for the Committee of Solidarity with Turkish Political Prisoners told journalists. 

The four-day Turkish operation began on Tuesday, when paramilitary troops stormed 20 jails across the country with the declared aim of "rescuing" hundreds of inmates, mainly from the extreme left. 

The inmates had been on hunger strike for two months in protest at the planned opening of new jails with tighter security. 

By the end of the siege on Friday, 28 people had been killed. Turkey has come under heavy domestic and foreign criticism for what many have seen as its heavy handed approach to the prison protest -- VIENNA (AFP) 

 

 

© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

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