#Critical Prison Studies

This article examines death fasts in Turkey as a form of political action situated at the intersection of ethics, law, and state power. Drawing on philosophical, legal, and medical discourses, it explores how the notions of the “sanctity of life” and the “right to resist” shape debates on legitimacy, forced intervention, and human agency within the carceral context.

In recent years, Turkey has opened dozens of new high-security prisons without public debate or transparency. What drives this silent but massive expansion — and what does it mean for dissent?