Hunger strikes unacceptable in democracies: Turkey rapporteur

Ria Oomen-Ruijten, the European Parliament’s Turkey rapporteur, has harshly criticized the over 700 protesters currently conducting hunger strikes across Turkey, saying their actions are undemocratic.

"[Conducting a] hunger strike is an inacceptable method in a democracy. If you have an aim, you should get involved in politics and try to convince people. If you conduct a hunger strike for something today, you'll do the same for something else tomorrow. This is inacceptable. There's no place for oppression and force in democracies. I demand officials prevent any possible deaths from happening," she said earlier today at a symposium organized by the German Marshall Fund and International Strategic Research Institution (USAK) in Ankara, daily Hürriyet has reported.