Another dies in Turkish hunger strike

Over two dozen prisoners have already died

Another Turkish hunger striker has died in the long-running protest over changes in maximum security jails.

The prisoner, Ali Koc, died on Sunday in a hospital in Ankara, after refusing most nourishment for 251 days.

The condition of these people is irreversible, some have lost their memories. We expect more deaths

Yavuz Onen, strikers' support group

He is the 28th person to die in the protest against the swapping of dormitories for small cells.

Mr Koc was jailed while a student at Ankara University for being a member of an extreme left-wing group, which the Turkish authorities accuse of masterminding the strike.

Hundreds of prisoners and their relatives have been on hunger strike since it began in October.

"The condition of these people is irreversible, some have lost their memories. We expect more deaths," said Yavuz Onen, head of the foundation which is looking after the freed hunger strikers.

Changing conditions

Strikers are protesting against their transfers to new jails, where cells holding a maximum of three people replaced large dormitories for up to 60.

They say confinement in smaller units alienate inmates from fellow prisoners and leave them more vulnerable to mistreatment by guards.

The Turkish Government says the dormitories have become training grounds for extremism, and are the main cause of frequent riots in Turkey's jails.

Prisoners say small cells leave them vulnerable to abuse

But it has modified some of the isolation conditions, allowing prisoners joint recreational facilities.

However, these moves have failed to satisfy either the strikers and civic groups backing their demands.

Mr Koc's death brings to 22 the number of inmates who starved themselves to death.

Five relatives of prisoners who joined the strike in solidarity and one former inmate have also perished in the protest since March when the first victim died.

According to Turkey's Human Rights Foundation, another 180 inmates are still on hunger strike and about 50 have been released from jail over the past few weeks because of their deteriorating state of health.