Hunger strike

800 prisoners 29 jails 200 pledged to die 162 in hospital 12 inmates dead 2 supporters dead Several women among the dead (Source: Turkish Justice Minister)

Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk now says that - although he still wants to move the prisoners to cells - he is putting forward a bill to enable them to meet for educational, social, cultural and sports activities.

But the offer has been rejected as inadequate by a leading human rights activist.

"It is not progress, but a more sophisticated and refined regime of isolation," Yucel Sayman, the head of the Istanbul Bar Association, told the French news agency AFP.

Many hunger strikers are said to be close to death

Prisoners jailed under terrorism charges are currently kept in their cells and not allowed to mix together, and the government had hoped that ending the isolation might provide a breakthrough in the deadlock.

The government insists that its central plan - to move away from dormitory-style systems - is not negotiable.

It blames the dormitory system for the high levels of hostage-taking and rioting in Turkey's prisons.

But inmates claim that the new cells, housing a maximum of three people, will put them at much greater risk of torture and beating.

Mr Turk has also pledged to improve prison "transparency".

Prisoners say small cells will leave them vulnerable to abuse

He is putting forward two other bills to improve prison complaints procedures.

"With these draft bills, we will establish transparency in prisons," he said.

And he renewed his appeal for the hunger strike to be called off.

"I appeal to the prisoners, their families and civic groups once again. The deaths must stop. The protest must end before it is too late."

Turkish security forces attempted to break the protest by storming prisons last December, but the hunger strike has continued.