FIVE activists who claim to have been tortured in Iraqi Kurdistan have started a hunger strike as they demanded to meet lawyers and representatives from the United Nations today.

Mihemed Naci Sadiq, a member of the opposition Goran Movement, was detained on December 9 in the Shiladze district of Duhok province, which is currently under severe bombardment from Turkish jets.

Five days later Kovan Tariq Cibrail, Yusuf Sharif Ibrahim, Ahmed Yusuf Mistefa, and Nechirvan Bedih Haci were also taken into custody and have been held for the past 17 months without trial.

They claim to have been “abducted” by the security forces and subjected to “severe torture” to extract confessions, while being banned from seeing their legal representatives.

“They’re waging psychological torture,” the men wrote, saying that they have been on hunger strike for the past week.

They are part of a group known collectively as the Badinan activists, which consists of 81 anti-government protesters and journalists hauled in during demonstrations against the worsening economic situation in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Earlier this month the Morning Star met lawyers representing the prisoners and heard how they are being tried using anti-terror legislation usually reserved for Isis members and other jihadists.

A large group started a hunger strike in January under the slogan “freedom or death,” although later called off their action.

The Shiladze five said that they were made to sign documents during the interrogation by security forces, although they did not know what was written.

“That’s why we’ve been on hunger strike for a week. We call on the United Nations and other international human rights organisations, the media, parliament, political parties and the people of Kurdistan to hear our voices. We’re in a bad way,” a letter from the men stated.

During meetings earlier this month the Morning Star met one of the recently released activists who shared details of the appalling conditions the prisoners are held in.

Cells are so cramped that detainees are forced to sleep standing up and are subjected to beatings that are so severe many pass out.

Prisoners are allegedly denied medical treatment with some given tablets meant for animals instead of pain relief.

A delegation from Britain attended the trial of Berivan Hassan, the only female prisoner among the Badinan activists. 

She was sentenced to two years, although is set to be freed next month based on time already served.

Human rights organisations and lawyers attributed her release in part due to the presence of the delegation.

The mother of five was charged after giving out leaflets calling for a boycott of Turkish goods because of their 11-month war on Iraqi Kurdistan.