Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 February 2019
45. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a Kurdish Member of Parliament (details supplied) is on a hunger strike since November 2018; and if concerns for their health and well-being will be raised with his Turkish counterpart. [9638/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish Government is aware of and very concerned about the case of Kurdish MP Leyla Güven. As the Deputy would know, the case was raised recently in Dáil Éireann, and we urged the Turkish authorities then to take urgent measures to alleviate the situation, including her release from prison and her immediate transfer to a hospital in order that she receive adequate medical treatment and contact with her lawyers and family. I was pleased when Ms. Güven was released from prison on 25 January but she is continuing her hunger strike and we are very concerned at the deterioration of her health.
We have been conveying our concerns to the Turkish authorities, both in relation to Ms Güven’s case and the arrest of HDP MPs, along with other elected politicians, journalists and academics over the past two years.
On the wider Kurdish issue, it is clear that this can only be addressed through dialogue aiming at establishing a peaceful, comprehensive, and sustainable solution. Ireland has called for the resumption of such a dialogue to allow the political process to resume. We continue to support efforts to maintain contacts between the Kurdish and Turkish sides through our funding of the Democratic Progress Institute’s Turkey Programme.
I want to assure you that the Irish Government will continue to monitor developments in Turkey both in terms of the hunger strike, and on our wider concerns on human rights, freedom of expression, the rule of law, and democracy.
