Comrade Ugur TURKMEN was born on April 23, 1972 in Yenice, Tarsus-Mersin. He was the fourth of six brothers and sisters. He is Turkish and Alevite. He became aware of the struggle in 1993 during the time of his higher education. He participated in the struggle and the organisation of revolutionary youth when he was a student in the civil engineering department of Burdur Occupational High school. This system had to be changed. And he decided he should do more for this cause.

He left the school towards the end of 1996 and began to work in the office of the Kurtulus (Liberation) newspaper in Mersin. Until the end of 1998 he represented the newspaper. He became more revolutionary by the day, he renewed himself and his life style. Because for him the Cephe (DHKC) was ‘the developing family, which covers everyone who, is for humanity in the revolutionary struggle and which is creating a new culture’. During this period he faced threats and pressure from the police on many occasions. He was tortured many times. He was detained during the commemoration of Ali Tarik Kocoglu in July 1996 and at the assembly of KESK (Union of Civil Servants) in Ankara on December 14, 1996.

He was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months imprisonment in April 28, 1998. He stayed in Mersin, Kurkculer (Adana) and Gaziantep prisons. The last time he was in Ceyhan prison. When the F-type prisons and consequently the Death Fast resistance came onto the agenda, he volunteered without hesitation. He took part in the second team of Ceyhan prison Death Fast fighters. He was in Ceyhan prison on the morning of December 19. He resisted together with his comrades against the savage attacks. He was taken to Sincan F-type prison. He continued his action in Sincan in spite of torture and isolation. He was released on January 5, 2001. He continued his action after his release. He united the prisons with the outside world. He achieved a ‘first’ during the death fast resistance. Everything was clear for him. In one of his latest letters, he said: ‘I have no hesitation about martyrdom and the Death Fast. The victory will come with our martyrs. I am also advancing along this path. I will welcome martyrdom with pride and honour. As our Death Fast martyr Halil Onder said – let my life be sacrificed for our people and our country.’