Syrian poet
Marwan Othman has gone on hunger-strike in Germany to protest against the
persecution and oppression of Kurds in his country, according to a statement on
Monday.
"Political prisoners are tortured and brutally abused," said Othman, who is
living in exile, adding that recently "at least five prisoners have died as a
result of torture."
"Many have left prison still carrying the physical and psychological
effects," he said. He began his hunger-strike in Hanover, northern Germany on
January 18.
Othman is one of the leaders of Yekiti, the second most influential political
party among Syrian Kurds. He has spent almost four years in prison for his
beliefs and wants to alert people to their plight.
Syria is home to some 1.5 million Kurds, around nine percent of the
population. They are fighting to have their language, culture and political
rights recognised.
