Messages from Özakça, Gülmen on 63rd Day of Their Hunger Strike

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Academic Nuriye Gülmen and teacher Semih Özakça are on the 63rd day of their hunger strike, which they started with the demand that they be returned to their job.

Gülmen spent the day resting yesterday (May 9). Özakça with whom we spoke on the phone said that Gülmen feels better today and they plan to come to the area for a statement at 1:30 p.m.

Stating that the increasing support in the recent days has buoyed them up, Özakça responded to the calls to end the hunger strike saying “These statements don’t contribute to the resistance. We need to focus on growing the resistance”.

On a video shared on the social media, Gülmen stated “It is very nice that everyone trying to do something, voice of the hunger corresponds to something”.

As the support demonstrations continue, the call for their demand to be met holds on the social media with the hashtag #NuriyeVeSemihYaşasın (May Nuriye and Semih Live).

About Gülmen and Özakça

Nuriye Gülmen was employed at Eskişehir Osmangazi University.

After her contract was not renewed, she brought a lawsuit and won. Seven months later, she started to work at Selçuk University. A day after she started her job, she was suspended from her duty based on the “FETÖ-PDY (Fethullahist Terror Organization-Parallel State Structure) investigation launched into her. She was discharged on January 6, 2017 via the Statutory Decree No. 679.

Semih Özakça was a classroom teacher at Mazıdağı Cumhuriyet Primary School in Mardin. He was discharged via the Statutory Decree No. 675 over “being linked with terror organizations”.

Gülmen has been in front of Human Rights Monument on Yüksel Street in Ankara to stage a sit-in since November 9, and Özakça since November 23.

On March 11, they declared that they would go on a permanent non—rotational hunger strike. They were detained on March 9 and they went on hunger strike in custody. (BK/TK)