'IT IS POSITIVE FOR US EVEN THOUGH ITS LATE'

 

 

Öcalan's lawyer Serbay Köklü who stated that the visit of CPT was a visit after 3 years, said the previous visit took place in April 2016. Köklü said: "After this date, there have been very serious changes in the country in the legal sense. For example  a State of Emergency was declared on 20 July. Turkey legal system was reeastablished due to th e  extraordinary political. At this stage very serious human rights violations and problems emerged in İmralı. After this date we only had 3 meeting with Mr Öcalan, he was visited twice by attorneys and once by his family. These three interviews could only happen due to the reaction of the public with the hunger strikes. This visit after three years,was positive and valuable for us, although it was too late. 

 

 

Köklü who recalled that CPT did not have a visit scheduled for Turkey in 2019, said: "However, an actual situation arose and put Imrali on their agenda. At this point, we think that the sensitive public opinion of the democratic groups, especially the Kurdish people's reaction against the isolation in İmralı had serious effect. The CPT shared their observations after the visit in 2016. In line with their observations and suggestions in 2016, they came to examine whether arrangements were made, especially in the visits to family and lawyers."

 

 

Kökölü who stated that after 2015, there were 4 visits to İmralı 2 of which was by his family, said: "The first one was on September 11, 2016. In that period hunger strikes paved the way for this visit. The second visit was on 12 January 2019. This was also a reflection of the ongoing hunger strikes. The next time we recieved news from him was on 2 May. Finally, the 22 May meeting of lawyers. Every 4 interviews emerged upon the public's reaction to absolute isolation in Imrali. It was not possible for the CPT to remain indifferent at this point, and the public response forced the CPT to take an attitude and to visit İmralı in 2019, even though there was no planning for a visit."

 

'THE RESULTS OF THE VISIT MUST BE SHARED IMMEDIATELY'

 

Köklü recalling that CPT have shared the results of their visit in 2016 after 2 years, in 2018, said: "CPT's visit in 2016 and their announcement in 2018 created a perception in the public opinion like 'Life is common in İmralı. The law was established and Mr. Öcalan was able to meet with other prisoners and had contact with the outside world'. It was a serious problem for the CPT to announce the visit of the CPT  such  late and the fact that in their announced report they ignored the political atmosphere in the country. They should not make the same mistake in this interview. The CPT needs to share the results of this visit quickly and in a manner appropriate to the expectations of the public. Otherwise, this visit will only be a visit, and the fact that what happened there is not shared with the public may cause the previous inconveniences again."