Rights group: 3,000 prisoners on hunger strike in Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey – A Turkish human rights group says close to 3,000 prisoners have joined a hunger strike to press authorities to end the alleged isolation in jail of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Human Rights Association head Ozturk Turkdogan said Tuesday that 2,983 people in 90 prisons are refusing food in protest of the jail conditions for Ocalan, whose family members and lawyers reportedly have been denied visits.

Pro-Kurdish legislator Leyla Guven launched the strike from jail in November. She has since been released and is continuing the strike at home.

Hunger strikers in Turkey traditionally refuse food but take vitamins and salt and sugar solutions, which prolong life.

Turkdogan's group says Ocalan has not seen his lawyers since 2011. Ocalan's brother was allowed a half-hour visit in January.