Turkish hunger strike prisoner dies

Turkish authorities wrestled for control of prisons

A Turkish prisoner has become the 43rd person to die in a hunger strike, protesting against Turkey's new maximum security prison system.

Ali Camyar died in hospital in the western city of Izmir on Wednesday after fasting for about nine months, the prisoners' solidarity group Ozgur Tayad said.

Cells leave prisoners open to abuse, say protesters

The Turkish Association of Human Rights said Mr Camyar died from tuberculosis after starvation had weakened his immune system. He was admitted to hospital last month.

Camyar was jailed for 18 years in 1996 for membership of an outlawed group of revolutionary communists.

Left-wing prisoners - and some supporters not in jail - began the hunger strike 14 months ago in protest at the government's policy of moving inmates from large dormitories housing up to 100 people to small cells for up to three people.

They say the cells make them isolated and vulnerable to abuse by guards.

But the government says that the large halls were virtual training camps for militants and a breeding ground of riots.

Houses raided

The protesters have been taking vitamins and sugared water to prolong their fast.

As well as 43 deaths directly due to the hunger strike, 30 prisoners were killed in December 2000 when police stormed a number of jails to re-establish state control and end the strike.

Two police officers also died in the effort.

Last November, police raided houses in Istanbul which were sheltering hunger strikers and supporters.

Four prisoners burnt themselves to death in protest at the raids.