Since joining the EU in 2003 Cyprus attracts many tens of thousands of sans papiers migrants. The state continues to treat them ruthlessly. 52 immigrant detainees have been on hunger strike in Nicosia prison since October 24th.

Since Monday 24th October 52 people (out of the 65 total in their block), all of them immigrant detainees, have begun a hunger strike in block 10 of the central prison. Their crime: Their illegal residency in Cyprus. Their demand: to stop being denied their basic rights which are being oppressed by the state.

These people are being detained in order to be deported, they are not convicted criminals. On the contrary, the criminal in this case is none other than the state which in many cases keeps them in prison for time periods much longer than the 6 months which is defined as the maximum period by directive 115/2008 (since there is no national law to define the exceptions to this directive in article 15 paragraph 6). In addition to this, in many cases the procedural guarantees are not observed and their detention is ordered without even a detention decree.

On Thursday 20th October, in front of the camera of block 10, a 46 year old Algerian made a suicide attempt with razors. The video of the attempted suicide is in the hands of the police. This man is married and has two children, he has asked repeatedly to return to his country but they won't allow him. For more than two weeks he has declared that he refuses to accept food, and his despair urged the rest of his cellmates to begin a hunger strike as well. On Friday 28th October one more person attempted suicide by making a noose from sheets and was saved at the last minute. This man, a Syrian, has been detained for more than a year and also wants to return to his country but they will not deport him. This is a man who has been detained for more than a year, breaking every pertinent law, and they will neither deport him nor release him.

The fact that this repulsive situation receives practically zero attention from the mass media reflects the general picture of our society, which consciously allows the issue of illegal residents to be hidden under the rug. The state which is preparing itself for the European presidency oppresses human rights with all its brutality, while the europeanized citizens whistle indifferently in front of the utter humilation of human dignity, while meanwhile upholding their image as humanists.

We stand in solidarity with the hunger strikers and also with every person whose human rights are being oppressed by the governments. We call on those who still have some humanity in them to:

an assembly for the decision of actions to be taken, on Tuesday at 6pm at the stairs of Faneromeni school.

Nicosia, Cyprus

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