ISTANBUL - Stating that those who isolated Abdullah Öcalan were "incapable and weak", Sociologist Neşe Özgen said: "Turkish society should call for the release of Abdullah Öcalan for democratization."

 

The international conspiracy, which was the first step of the intervention of global powers in the Middle East, started with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan's departure from Syria on October 9, 1998, and continued with being brought to Turkey on February 15, 1999. Abdullah Öcalan, who is held in severe isolation conditions in the specially designed İmralı Type F High Security Prison, has not been allowed to meet with his family and lawyers for 31 months. Despite the lack of news, the 25th year of the international conspiracy was marked by PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan's demand for physical freedom.

 

Referring to the effects of Abdullah Öcalan on world politics, especially Kurdistan and Turkey, sociologist Neşe Özgen, one of the academicians of the Institute of Migration Research and Intercultural Studies (IMIS) at Osnabrück University in Germany, stated that Abdullah Öcalan's freedom also means the democratization of world politics. Özgen underlined that especially Turkish society should make a call at this point.

 

'THOSE IMPLEMENTING ISOLATION ARE POWERLESS AND WEAK'

 

Stating that Abdullah Öcalan is in severe isolation conditions, but his ideas were free, Özgen said: "Those who imposed isolation were powerless and weak. The law was seriously violated by the practices against Abdullah Öcalan. The people of the world should defend human rights."

 

'TURKISH SOCIETY SHOULD CALL FOR ÖCALAN'

 

Emphasizing that the lack of news on İmralı Island for 31 months is the result of great fear, Özgen said: "This situation is a democracy problem of the state. Turkish society should call for the release of Abdullah Öcalan for the democratization of the country. The isolation policy started in Kurdistan and spread throughout Turkey due to insufficient condemnations. Insisting on the policy of attack and isolation is the result of a totalitarian regime. It's up to the people, the people decide what will happen."

 

'ISOLATION IS A MATTER OF DEMOCRACY'

 

Underlining that the Imrali isolation system should be evaluated from a global and political perspective, Özgen said: “This issue is not only a Kurds' responsibility, but also a democracy issue for the Turks. If we, the Turks, cannot have a democratic state, the consequences will not only be reflected on the Kurds. When talking about the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, we cannot just look at it as the isolation of the political leader. The real issue is the democratic solution mechanism of the Kurdish issue."

 

'ÖCALAN IS THE ADDRESSEE OF THE KURDISH ISSUE'

 

Emphasizing that Abdullah Öcalan is the addressee of the democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, Özgen said: "It cannot be denied and that the state accepts Abdullah Öcalan as a party; otherwise, the state would not have held Öcalan in isolation for such a long time. In order to reach a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue, the interlocutors must first sit at the table equally and with respect for each other. Abdullah Öcalan, as one of the parties, has to be at this table. Abdullah Öcalan is an important actor for the Kurdish people. His lack of physical freedom harms Turkey's democracy. The Turkish state cannot reach the point it wants by holding Abdullah Öcalan in isolation, by 'terrorizing' the entire society, and by silencing his voice because an anti-democratic state and a state that promises destruction can never exist. A state can only exist when it promises to build," he said.

  

'THE UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE'

 

Stating that the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) should announce its reports on Imrali, Özgen emphasized that everyone should call on the parties to make the reports accessible. Özgen said: “The CPT is also aware of the increasingly severe isolation and sharing its reports only with member states is also a human rights violation for the CPT. For this reason, we need to raise more voices against isolation. We need to emphasize that the isolation imposed on Öcalan is a matter of universal human rights and is essential for the democracy of the whole world."

 

MA / Esra Solin Dal