(source: http://osmanayemek.tumblr.com)
This is to tell you about Osman Evcan, a political prisoner in Turkey who is kept in high security solitary confinement prisons. Due to his political and ethical convictions, Evcan became a vegan (strict vegetarian who avoids all animal products) eight years ago.
Since the Turkish authorities do not respect his right to pursue a vegan diet, Evcan has been suffering from variety of health issues as he is not getting enough vegan food to eat and he is unable to pursue a balanced diet.
In a letter he wrote from prison, Evcan mentions prison authorities giving him food in an unhygienic state and there have been instances where harmful additives and chemicals have been intentionally added to his food.
A support campaign called the Campaign for Vegan Food to Osman Evcan has been started, but so far, the petitions to the authorities by Evcan himself and by the Campaign have been ignored. A member of parliament, Melda Onur, submitted a written question to Ministry of Interior in the National Assembly asking as to why Evcan’s issue is being ignored and not considered. She visited Evcan in prison, but the prison authorities wouldn’t let her give the food she brought for Evcan.
In his last letter that he sent to us on the 6th of November 2011, Evcan added that on an arbitrary basis, prison officers have not being providing him with escorts, so that he misses medical appointments. Having already boycotted the prison food and managing by purchasing his own food at prison cafeteria, he says in his last letter that he needs to strengthen his attitude to be heard. Therefore he started an on-going hunger strike on 4 November 2011 for an indefinite time until his demands are met.
As people supporting Evcan, we want your support and solidarity.
You can help spread the news about his situation and create international pressure on the Ministry of Justice of Turkey and other official institutions
The blog of the campaign is: http://osmanayemek.tumblr.com
The English edition can be accessed here: http://osmanayemek.tumblr.com/english
Evcan’s issue is taken into press on those newspapers, tv channels and internet sites (in Turkish):
http://bianet.org/bianet/hayvan-haklari/133769-hem-vegan-hem-tutsak
http://www.haberler.com/chp-li-onur-vejetaryen-mahkum-osman-evcan-i-3059195-haberi/
Cumhuriyet(newspaper): http://www.zulalkalkandelen.com/2011/10/cezaevinde-vegan-olmak.html
http://www.cnnturk.com/2011/guncel/10/04/cezaevinde.vegan.olmak/631899.0/index.html#
To write Osman:
Osman Evcan,
F Tipi Kapalı Cezaevi,
Oda No: B-8
71480 Hacılar/Kırıkkale TURKEY
