URFA - Mehmet Öcalan who last spoke to his brother on March 25, 2021 on the phone said: "Everyone need to hear the voice rising from the 2022 Newroz. It is time for Mr. Öcalan to be physically free."

 

The aggravated isolation imposed on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan continues for the last 23 years. Öcalan made a mark on the Newroz celebrations this year in 72 cities and districts which was held with the slogan “Dem dema serkeftinê ye” (Now is the time to win).  In the magnificent Diyarbakır Newroz attended by more than one million people, despite all the obstacles of Diyarbakır Police, Öcalan's posters were unfurled in the Newroz park and freedom for Öcalan was demanded.

 

Despite these demands rising from the Newroz squares, PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held under severe isolation conditions for 23 years, has not been heard from since the interrupted phone call made on March 25, 2021, and he is not allowed to meet with his family and lawyers.

 

Mehmet Öcalan, brother of Abdullah Öcalan who last spoke to his brother on March 25, 2021 spoke to Mesopotamia Agency (MA) about the demand for the freedom of Öcalan.

 

UNEQUALLED ISOLATION

 

Underlining that the isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan is unequalled, Mehmet Öcalan said that the isolation on his brother is deepened from time to time in line with the conjuncture.  Stating that politics in Turkey are generally built on oppression of the Kurds, Öcalan said, “The isolation imposed on Mr. Öcalan is related to the approach to the Kurdish question. The fact that a person is held in a prison in the middle of the sea is unprecedented."

 

'GOVERNMENT IS PLAYING THIS ALL WRONG'

 

Mehmet Öcalan reminded that his brother told him how he was able to call him when he was allowed to make a phone call with his brother on March 25, 2021. Mehmet Öcalan repeated PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan's words and said: "He told me that it was very wrong and dangerous that I agreed to go to the prosecutor's office to make that phone call and that the government is playing the whole thing so wrong and so are we. He said, "This is not right. If there will be a meeting it must be within the legal framework. They can not arbitrarily allow a phone call one year later than the last meeting with the lawyers. This is so wrong. The government is playing this whole thing wrong and so are you. This is not legal and not right. This is unacceptable and very dangerous. Do you actually understand what you are doing? I want my lawyers to come here and meet me. This is a legal problem. I have been here for the last 22 years. Do you understand how this will reflect in the future? This problem can only be solved legally. Why aren't they coming here? If there will be a meeting, it must be with the lawyers." Then the line dropped."

 

'CPT IS AN ACCOMPLICE'

 

Stating that no one was able to contact with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan after that once call which took place a year ago, Mehmet Öcalan said: "This is not humane or legal. This is unacceptable. Mr. Öcalan said the government was playing the whole thing wrong. They have been doing wrong for a year now. The government is violating its own laws. The state's approach about Öcalan is its approach about Kurds. It is the same. We haven't heard from him for a year and President Erdoğan somehow speaks on behalf of him. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) is an accomplice. No one has heard from 4 prisoners for a year and CPT is turning a blind eye on this. None of the opposition parties except for HDP and its friends underlined that no one has heard from four prisoners for a year. There are loads of NGOs, no NGOs except Human's Rights Organisation (IHD) said that those 4 people has rights too."

 

THE VOICE RISING FROM NEWROZ CELEBRATIONS

 

Stating that millions embraces the PKK Leader and that his paradigm is a hope for different etnicities, faiths and for all oppressed people, Mehmet Öcalan said: "Mr. Öcalan is the will of the people. Millions demanded his freedom at the Newroz celebrations. Everyone in the world sees that. The government should nknow that this is a test for them. The bloodshed must end and the person who can achieve this is Mr. Öcalan. There is no point in creating artificial interlocutors. Everyone should respect the voice rising from the 2022 Newroz and take steps accordingly. If a solution to this problem is needed, the gates of İmralı should be opened. It is time for Mr. Öcalan is physically free. This is the only agenda of the Kurds. This demand must be met immediately."

 

 

 

MA / Emrullah Acar