BASW Cymru marches to support Kurdish strikers

National director Allison Hulmes marched, and spoke, at the event in solidarity with Imam Sis

BASW Cymru National Director Allison Hulmes, joined hundreds of marchers in Cardiff yesterday, in support of the Kurdish strikers world-wide, and Imam Sis in particular.  

Imam is a beloved and well-respected anti-racism campaigner based in South Wales who has now been on hunger strike for 112 days.

The hunger strikers are demanding alleged human rights abuses against Abdullah Öcalan - leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, who has been in solitary confinement since 1999 - are investigated.

Speakers at the march included Nejla Ezdan from the Kurdish Women’s Movement, Shavannah Taj from the PCS Union, Memod Aksoy from the Kurdish Community in Wales, Delyth Jewell - Assembly Member (Plaid Cymru), Mick Antoniw – Assembly Member (Labour), Hilary Brown - International Human Rights Lawyer, Adam Johannes from Cardiff People’s Assembly and Cerith Griffiths from the Fire Brigades Union.

A message of support from a hunger striker in Strasbourg, was also read out.

Allison Hulmes spoke on behalf of social workers in Wales and read a statement of support from John McGowan, Secretary General of the Social Workers union.

Wales has a long and proud history of internationalism and collectively, we will support the Kurdish community in Wales, in pressing for Turkey to honour the human rights treaties it is a signatory to.