The relatives of prisoners, in collective statements,...

The relatives of prisoners, in collective statements, called for the elimination of the death penalty and for passing a general amnesty in Turkey. Fatma Keser and Fatma Ocalan, the elder sisters of KADEK [Freedom and Democracy Congress of Kurdistan, formerly PKK] General Chairman Abdullah Ocalan, took part in the announcement in Ankara.Family members of prisoners in Ankara, Adana, and Izmir, who travelled to Ankara, staged a sit-in to protest the death penalty.HADEP [People's Democracy Party] Ankara Provincial Chairperson Safiye Akalin and IHD [Human Rights Association] Ankara Branch Chairperson Ender Buyukculha also took part in the press statement, which took place under intensive security measures by police. While the press statement was being read, the family members frequently called out slogans of "No to the death penalty; peace now", "Biji Asiti" [Kurdish for "Long live peace"], and "General amnesty now". The family members trilled in protest [reference to a shrill shrieking used primarily by Kurdish women] for some time and protested the death penalty by applauding.The press statement said that throughout history the death penalty has been imposed for political reasons, and that in today's Turkey, the death penalty, which is likewise imposed for reasons of politics, is blocking Turkey's progress.