On Sunday, the Human Rights Association (İHD) released a statement demanding the release of Siti Sen of the province of Siirt, who was jailed on Sunday in connection with her participation in a hunger strike organized on Aug. 30, 2006, to protest the prison conditions of PKK jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving a life sentence on the prison island of İmralı in the Sea of Marmara.

On Tuesday (BDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtas announced from his twitter account that Sen had been released at 11 am in the morning. No official reports confirm this, but Demirtas tweeted that news of her release was clear and sound information obtained from prison officials.

Prior to Sen's release, Vetha Aydın, president of the İHD's Siirt branch, had said the old woman was struggling with serious health issues and was unable to take care of her daily needs. He had also stated that Sen should be released as part of a new legal reform package that was passed by Parliament last month.

Sen was detained on July 14, 2011, just outside Siirt province as she was on her way to attend an unauthorized demonstration in Diyarbakır planned by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). Police officers said she had been given a 20 month sentence in connection with her participation in the Ocalan protest of 1996, a sentence that was upheld by the Supreme Court of Appeals.

Şen's oldest son, Sukru, spoke to the press after visiting his mother with İHD's Aydın. He said his mother's imprisonment was a “shame” for the state.

Zaman daily