'Isolation in İmralı is a common issue for everyone defending freedom'

  • actual
  • 09:53 11 January 2022
  • |
img
ANKARA - Stating that the isolation imposed on Öcalan is a crime against humanity, political party representatives said, "Isolation is the problem of all forces defending democracy and freedom," and called for a joint struggle.
 
The isolation imposed on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in İmralı High Security Type F Closed Prison for 23 years, is spreading to all prisons day by day. Öcalan was finally able to make a phone call with his brother Mehmet Öcalan on March 25. There has been no news for 9 months from Öcalan, while his lawyers and family has been repeatedly applying for a visit. Political party representatives in Ankara evaluated the isolation imposed upon Öcalan and other detainees.
 
Stating that tens of thousands of detainees in prisons are under severe isolation, Socialist Re-Establishment Party (SYKP) Ankara Provincial Co-Chair Nüve Gönültaş said that most of the practices in prisons are remnants of the September 12 coup process. Pointing out that Turkey is among the countries with the highest number of prisoners, Gönültaş said that the aim is to isolate the democratic opposition by silencing them. Gönültaş pointed out that the oppression was not limited to the detainees, but spreaded to the whole society, starting with the families of the prisoners.
 
'THEY WANT THE PEOPLE TO BE SILENCED'
 
Noting that the current government's position that does not recognize any legal norms has led to an increased isolation, Gönültaş said, “They want a deep silence in the face of the society's demands for rights. The pressure in the prisons and the outside pressures are running parallel to each other. Fighting for the rights of not only political prisoners but also all convicts and detainees without any discrimination is essential for prison practices. Human rights institutions, relatives of detainees and political institutions should take an active position that keeps the issue on the agenda, through closer cooperation.”
 
'ISOLATION IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY'
 
Ali Gökkaya, a member of the Kurdistan Communist Party (KKP) Central Executive Board said, “Even though capital punishment has been removed from the Turkish Penal Code, it is carried out in a different way today. People are now being left for dead in prisons with isolation, unsanitary prison conditions and long sentences. Medicine is being used as a tool against people to punish them. The Forensic Medicine Institude singlehandedly confine people to longer sentences with its report while other independent hospitals gives reports to ill prisoners saying that they can not maintain their lives in prisons. This is a crime against humanity. The isolation on Abdullah Öcalan being held in İmralı Prison is a crime against humanity. Kurdish people are concerned about his well being since they can't get any information about him. I am calling for an end to this."
 
CALL FOR STEPPING UP THE STRUGGLE
 
Umut Açar, a member of the Revolutionary Party Central Executive Board (MYK), said, “Prisons are the only option for the mentality that tries to keep a large part of the public under pressure, but cannot do it outside. If we consider the current situation of the country, the war policies  and the economic collapse, the political power that did not receive support, criminalized all of the opposition and made criminals out of them. As a result, it is clear that the people imprisoned will continue to be harassed in prison too. The attitude of the prisoners against these violations are unquestionably honourable."
 
Emphasizing the importance of speaking out about the violations in a way that people from all walks of life can hear, Açar stated that the first step in breaking the isolation is to prevent violations in prison.  
 
 

View More Articles

23/05/2022
12:47 The 'Dagger Squad' has been reactivated
10:57 'Turkey is doing what it had done in Cyprus in 74 in Kurdistan today'
21/05/2022
16:31 Beştaş: The attitude of the police paves the way for massacres
14:25 Drone strike on a vehicle in Maxmur
14:21 5 people lost their lives in Turkey's airstrike
13:38 Şenyaşar family: Justice will come when those who want justice unites
12:51 Urgent application for Öcalan to UN
12:26 8 HPG fighters dies in Turkish chemical attack
11:17 Turkish 'Counterterrorism' operation continues in Mount Cudi
11:10 Police prevented funeral of YPS member
20/05/2022
13:57 PACE delegation in Turkey
13:55 Armed clash in Cudi, reinforcements from Siirt
13:48 New application submitted by Öcalan's family and legal guardian
13:32 Press release in Halfeti regarding the isolation in İmralı
13:22 Emine Şenyaşar demands her son's release
13:18 Tanrikulu: Audio recordings confirm the killer is not alone
12:04 Isolation protested in Öcalan's village: Open the gates of İmralı
11:15 Ex-ranger resigned from his job and the KDP on February 15: I swore I would not betray
10:37 Peace Mothers: We shared our bread with KDP, they are killing our children
10:20 Refugees settled in Girê Spi by Turkey
09:57 Rally in Afrin against isolation imposed on Öcalan
09:47 Til Temir and Zirgan shelled by Turkey
19/05/2022
16:06 Condemnation to chemical weapons attacks: We know them from Roboski and Cizre
15:46 Şenyaşar family: Those who commit crimes against humanity hides behind the government
13:20 Villages of Eyn Îsa shelled by Turkey
13:04 Call to international public from Afghanistan: Hear us, see us!
11:59 Celebi, who was attacked by MIT and KDP in Sulaymaniyah, lost his life
11:54 Police raid on Agit İpek's mother's house
18/05/2022
15:22 Relatives of the prisoners in front of the ATK: We insist on our demands
14:41 DBP, TJA, HDP and 78's visits Şenyaşar family
12:55 Demir served as Peshmerga for 26 years: Stand by those who fight for the people
12:31 Images of 'Halfeti torture' have been under investigation for two years!
17/05/2022
15:15 TAJÊ Spokesperson Sebrî: Öcalan's philosophy is alight in this darkness
13:58 HDP members who refused to be searched at check point, blocked the road
13:29 Şenyaşar family: Moving forward with the investigation was prevented
13:21 Lawyers of Öcalan submit new application for a meeting with their client
13:20 Drone attack on Til Rifet
16/05/2022
16:55 Önlü: Turkey attacked Doğan's funeral just like Israel attacked Shireen Abu Akleh
14:35 Makbule Özer: I could die here at any minute!
14:34 'The victory of Shengal will be the liberation of Iraqi politics'
13:09 HDP delegation following visit to Iraq: Everyone agrees war can't solve problems
11:08 Pressures on border cities sky rockets: They are banning our own lands to us
14/05/2022
17:31 Who runs SADAT, which Kılıçdaroğlu says 'raising terrorists'?
14:12 Violent clashes in Mount Gabar
13:31 Heso Îbrahîm: they are targeting the status of Shengal
13:06 Şenyaşar family: We expect justice, not privilege
12:48 Ranger who returned from front: Scores of Turkish soldiers died
12:31 24 Turkish drone attacks in 28 months: 31 died , 35 injured
09:12 Ill prisoner Abdullah Ece lost his life
08:25 Israel airstrike against Syria: 4 dead, 7 injured