On 14 March allegations were shared on social media regarding the life of Kurdish political leader Abdullah Öcalan. Asrin Law Office released a written statement demanding to create communication channels that will end the state of isolation in Imrali that constitutes maltreatment and applied to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice for urgent visit. There has been no response yet. The last visit of attorneys was in August 2017, the first and last phone call in April 2020. His family is also denied visits. Speaking about the allegations on social media Öcalan’s brother Mehmet Öcalan said they were not able to see him for a year now and added: “We are concerned. The government is responsible.”
In its last report, published in 2020, the CPT again referred to Öcalan’s solitary confinement and in addition criticised that all prisoners in İmralı continued to be denied visits by their lawyers and family members.
In its final resolutions, the EUTCC annual conferences in the European Parliament have called upon the EU member states, European institutions, especially the Council of Europe and the CPT, and the United Nations to take diplomatic, political and legal measures to compel Turkey to comply with international law concerning the ongoing isolation of Abdullah Öcalan as a basis for democratic processes in Turkey and a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question.
The EUTCC urges the Turkish government to enable regularly visits by his attorneys and family. Furthermore, the EUTCC demands Mr. Öcalan’s immediate release and a return to dialogue for a political solution to the Kurdish question which is essential to achieve peace, democracy, and freedom not only in Turkey, but in the entire Middle East.
16 March 2021
On behalf of the EUTCC board Kariane Westrheim, Chairperson Dersim Dağdeviren, board member
EU Turkey Civic Commission
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