Solidarity Message from David Harvey for Gülmen, Özakça on Hunger Strike

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Prof. Dr. David Harvey has released a solidarity video for academic Nuriye Gülmen and teacher Semih Özakça who have been on hunger strike for 63 days with the demand that they be returned to their job.

Harvey stated that he is in solidarity with his friends and colleagues in Turkey.

“I express my solidarity with my friends and colleagues in Turkey who are on hunger strike. The sooner Turkey gets back to democracy, the better it will be.  I support all the actions in that support with all my heart taking place in Turkey”.

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. (TP/BK/TK)