İSTANBUL - Stating that the isolation against PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan has turned into torture, ÖHD Co-Chair İlknur Alcan said that they will apply to the Ministry of Justice to meet with Öcalan in the upcoming days.

 

PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan has been under aggravated isolation in Imrali Type F High Security Prison for years. There has been no news from Öcalan, who has not been allowed to meet with his family, lawyers and legal guardian for the past year. Öcalan's lawyers stated in their report on February 22 that isolation on Öcalan had turned into a 'regime of torture'. The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV), the Istanbul Branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD), the Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) and the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) also condemned the isolation.

 

The ÖHD, which collected signatures from 768 lawyers with its previous campaign to end the systematic torture of Öcalan, is preparing to apply to the Ministry of Justice to go to İmralı. ÖHD Co-Chair İlknur Alcan evaluated the preparations of the ÖHD.

 

TORTURE IN TORTURE

 

Pointing to the report of Asrın Law Office, which provided legal assistance to Öcalan, Alcan said that the emphasis on "isolation within isolation" came to the fore in the report. Stating that this severe isolation situation is against the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Constitution, Alcan stated that the situation is a violation of the ban on "torture". Alcan said, “The practice has now become the continuation of perpetual torture. Many court decisions have shown that this is torture. The ECtHR has also determined that it was torture Öcalan is being subjected to."

 

24 YEARS OF TORTURE

 

Pointing out that prisoners have the right to consult a lawyer, or be visited by their family as well as their legal guardian in the execution regulation, Alcan also expressed that they have the right to phonecalls. Stating that Öcalan was able to use his right to phonecall twice during his 24-year detention, Alcan reminded that the last phone call, lasted for 4 minutes and there has been no news from Öcalan since that day. Stating that Öcalan's family and lawyers are not informed about Öcalan's health, Alcan said, "This isolation has been implemented since Mr. Öcalan was brought to Imrali."

 

ISOLATION SPREADED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

 

Drawing attention to the reason for the isolation imposed on Öcalan, Alcan noted that the main reason for this isolation is to sever his ties with the society. Alcan said, "During the peace process, AKP said itself that Öcalan could bring peace to this country. They held the peace talks with Mr. Öcalan himself. The isolation intensified after the state of emergency declared in 2015. We also feel that we are isolated. It spreaded all over Turkey. They are trying to spread the regime of oppression all over Turkey with the isolation imposed on Mr. Öcalan. They are preventing peace and blocking the way of the opposition in Turkey by isolating Öcalan."

 

Pointing out that the first violation against human rights and the law in Turkey was implemented in Imrali, Alcan said, "This situation continues in Turkish prisons against the political prisoners." Stating that the isolation is a way for the government to maintain their existance, Alcan said: "The distinction between a country governed by a regime of oppression and a country governed by democracy and law is very different."

 

EU UK GAVE TIME FOR TURKEY'S DEFENSE

 

Expressing that if the isolation on Öcalan is removed the society will be relieved a lot, Alcan told that they are taking initiatives to make that happen. Noting that they have collected signatures from  768 lawyers and applied to  the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers (EU UK) together with rights and law organizations, Alcan continued as follows: “According to the ECHR, keeping a person in prison until they die, is torture. It suggests that the sentence must be reviewed peroidically. This has never applied in Turkey for the people sentenced to life imprisonment. This is a regime that keeps political prisoners in prison until they die, violating their right to hope. And this is a violation of human's rights. The committee gave time to Turkey to prepare a defense and give them information after our application."

 

APPLICATION FROM ÖHD TO VISIT IMRALI

 

Stating that they will continue to take initiatives in this regard, Alcan said: "As ÖHD Co-Chairs, we will apply to the Ministry of Justice to meet with Mr. Öcalan in the upcoming days. In addition, the lawyers of our association will make another application to visit İmralı. If the meeting does not take place, the lawyers will make some attempts to meet with their clients through their bar associations.”

 

BARS HAVE OBLIGATIONS

 

Noting that the problems experienced by lawyers during their attempts to meet with their clients also concern the bar associations to which they are affiliated, and that bar associations should take action to eliminate this problem, Alcan said, “Bar associations have obligations regarding the establishment of human rights. This is a public duty of bar associations and lawyers. This could be Mr. Öcalan or another client. The bar associations must resort to legal and administrative remedies when we are prevented from seeing our clients in prison. Bar associations have duties to remove prominent obstacles so that lawyers can perform their duties regularly. We will ask them fulfill these obligations."

 

Alcan underlined once again that they will continue their initiatives to visit the İmralı prison.

 

 

MA / Mehmet Aslan