Esra Özakça

Seventeen lawyers of two imprisoned hunger-striking educators have been detained two days before the first hearing of their case, in which the educators are accused of being members of a terrorist organization. 

An Ankara court rejected the release demand of jailed Turkish educators who have been on hunger strikes for 108 days.

Teacher Semih Özakça and academic Nuriye Gülmen started their hunger strike demanding that they be returned to their positions, after they were removed with a state of emergency decree law.

June 16 will be the 100th day of the beginning of the hunger strike of two jailed educators, Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, in protest at being dismissed from their posts through state of emergency decrees. 

"Semih has become so thin. He is having difficulty even walking," said Semih Özakça's wife, Esra Özakça, who herself has also been on a hunger strike for the last 24 days. 

Police have detained two educators, Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, who have been on hunger strike for 75 days in protest at being dismissed from their posts through a decree-law issued under the state of emergency rule in Turkey.  

The special operation police have also searched their house and confiscated some belongings in a late night raid on May 21.

A total nine people, including the mother of an expelled teacher, were detained by police on May 18 during a solidarity protest with dismissed teacher Semih Özakça and academic Nuriye Gülmen, who have been on hunger strike for 72 days, daily Cumhuriyet has reported.