URFA - Stating that the statement made by the Bursa Chief Prosecutor's Office did not relieve the concerns, Mehmet Öcalan, the brother of the PKK Leader, said: "Since Öcalan is fine, his family or his attorneys must see him. Not a phone call, it must be face to face."

 

The concerns about the allegations made through social media accounts regarding the health and safety conditions of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is being held in İmralı F Type High Security Closed Prison, are not resolved. Although the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office claims that the allegations are untrue and that he is in good health, Öcalan's family and attorneys think it's not enough.

 

Speaking to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) on the issue, Abdullah Öcalan's brother Mehmet Öcalan emphasized that family and attorney visits must be ensured as soon as possible.  Öcalan also called on international institutions to assume responsibility.

 

NO CONTACT FOR THE LAST 11 MONTHS

 

Öcalan stated that they had a contact visit on March 3, 2020 and a phone call for the first time on April 27, and that his brother made important evaluations regarding the solution of the Kurdish problem in both meetings. Stating that they haven't been able to recieve any news from his brother for the last 11 months and the family and the attorneys have no idea what's going on in the island, Öcalan said: "CPT carries out visits to many prisons in Turkey. But they do not go to the İmralı Island. This is a huge contradiction. Why don't they go there? CPT has a duty. It is supposed to be the largest institution against so-called torture. But they don't go to the island. I think the allegations made and these attitudes are all interrelated."

 

'THE DOORS TO İMRALI MUST OPEN'

 

Öcalan said that although the state knows what is happening in İmralı Island, it does not inform the public about this, and stated that it is necessary to take the allegations made through social media seriously. Emphasizing that the reasons and aims of the allegations should be questioned, Öcalan said, “There are 4 people there, including the president. The doors to İmralı should be opened as soon as possible. Because there is a very serious claim. It is necessary to question the CPT's not visiting İmralı Island. Thousands of people are on hunger strike in prisons right now. Who is this hunger strike for? Why does the CPT not take this into account? Why didn't CPT go there, not just because of the allegations made on social media 2 days ago, but to check what's going on in there in general? "This is not an ordinary thing and not acceptable for us." 

 

'PHONE CALL IS NOT ENOUGH'

 

Pointing out that the allegations and what is said about it is not ordinary, Öcalan said: If Öcalan is actually fine, his family or his attorneys should see him. A phone call is not enough. We will not be convinced on the phone. This is the government's problem. Because the Minister of Interior just talks. The ministry is responsible for what happened and the allegations. Every prisoner has rights in Turkey according to law. We demand those rights."

 

Underlining that Turkey and NGOs working on human's rights must not remain silent, Öcalan said: "NGOs must hold the government to account. The situation in İmralı does not have a precedent in the world. If they say there is rule of law in Turkey, why are we deprived of our rights? These institutions must take action instead of talking. We are calling on the democrats, intellectuals and to all our people. There is something very wrong in here. Our people who say that 'The president is our will' must take action. They are trying to ruin Newroz for the Kurds and the people of the Middle East. The president represents the Middle East. This must be taken into concideration and everyone must do their share."

 

Reminding that everyone needs peace, Öcalan called on to the Kurdish people to flock to the streets on Newroz and be heard.

 

 

MA / Emrullah Acar - Barış Polat