A hunger strike among Turkish inmates against controversial jail reforms has claimed its third victim, reported AFP.
Bulent Coban, jailed for membership in an armed extreme leftist group, died in hospital in Istanbul late on Saturday, AFP said, adding that he had refused medical treatment.
The strike began last October against the introduction of new jails with cells for up to three people replacing dormitories that housed up to 60 inmates.
The prisoners, backed by a number of civic groups, said that the new set-up will leave them more exposed to ill treatment and lead to a further social alienation.
A second person had died earlier on the day on Saturday after the hunger strike had claimed its first victim last month.
Adil Kaplan, a member of the armed Turkish Workers Communist Liberation Army, died at a hospital in northwestern city of Edirne, reported the Turkish Daily News.
He was transferred to the hospital from a city prison a week ago, it added.
Turkish troops raided 20 prisons in December to end the hunger strike and transfer some 1,000 inmates to the new prisons. Thirty inmates and two soldiers were killed in the clashes.
Turkey's Human Rights Association said that more than 100 prisoners were risking death, according to the daily. Prisoners are suffering impaired vision, falling blood pressure and weak pulse, doctors said.
Turkey's government says the new prison system is key to ending frequent riots, hostage-taking and hunger strikes by inmates linked to leftist, Kurdish and Islamic militant groups.
The Council of Europe has urged Turkey to reform its prisons and investigate allegations of abuse of prisoners – Albawaba.com
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