Nuriye Gülmen

A prosecutor has sought the arrest of two educators, Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, who have been on hunger strike for over 75 days in protest at being dismissed from their posts through state of emergency decrees. 

Özakça and Gülmen were referred to court with the arrest demands on May 23, a day after both were detained from their homes in the capital Ankara.

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.

The mother of Semih Özakça, a Turkish educator who has been on hunger strike for more than 65 days, has told daily Hürriyet on May 14 that she cannot eat the food that her son loves. 

"I have to stay strong and not collapse, I feed on food like soup," Sultan Özakça said on Mother's Day. 

The mothers of two slain Gezi protesters have launched a one-day hunger strike as a show of support to two educators who have been on hunger strike for over 65 days. 

Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça went on a hunger strike on March 10 in Ankara, demanding to be returned to their jobs, which they lost with a state of emergency decree.

The government should look into the situation of Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, who are currently on hunger strike, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said May 12 after 30 CHP MPs sent a letter to PM Binali Yıldırım, asking the government to reinstate the two educators who were dismissed through state of emergency decrees. 

Some 30 lawmakers from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) have sent a letter to Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, asking the government to "reconsider the issue" and reinstate two educators, currently on hunger strike, who were dismissed through state of emergency decrees. 

The health conditions of two educators who have been on a hunger strike for over 60 days is deteriorating, while four main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmakers have also launched their own hunger strike in support. 

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Chair Bülent Tezcan has been appointed as the party's new spokesperson, filling a position left vacant after former spokesperson Selin Sayek Böke resigned.

Tezcan gave his first press conference as spokesperson on May 10 after the party's Central Executive Board meeting. 

As the hunger strike of two former educators dismissed through state of emergency decrees has reached its 62nd day, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Filiz Kerestecioğlu has sent letters to Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muizniek to raise awareness on the issue.