ISTANBUL - Stating that the new "disciplinary punishment" given to PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan is a "pretext for isolation", İHD Istanbul Branch President Gülseren Yoleri said that the practices in Imralı are directly related to politics.

 

Lawyers of Asrın Law Office applied to Bursa Execution Judgeship on November 22, 2021, requesting an "immediate meeting" with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and prisoners Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş, who are held under aggravated isolation in İmralı High Security Type F Prison. Responding to the lawyers' application on the same day, the judgeship revealed that two new visit bans on Öcalan were issued. Bursa Execution Judgeship rejected the application for a lawyer's visit, citing the 6-month ban on Ocalan given by the court on October 12. In its refusal decision regarding the family visit, the judgeship presented the decision of the Disciplinary Board of the Imralı Penitentiary Directorate, dated August 18, to "deprivation of visitors" for a period of 3 months.

 

 

The severe isolation conditions on Öcalan continue. There has been no communication witj Öcalan for a year, and new disciplinary punishments have been given. Although the ban on family visits ended on November 18, 2021, due to the fact that no response was given to the families' applications to Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the lawyers once again applied to Bursa Execution Judge on March 28 to remove all unlawful bans on family visits and requested a family visit. Responding to the lawyers' application on March 29, the judgeship rejected the application. In the reasoning for the refusal, the judge argued that there was a re-imposed disciplinary punishment against Öcalan.

 

Human Rights Association (İHD) Istanbul Branch President Gülseren Yoleri stated that the new disciplinary punishment given to Öcalan is not a legal decision and said, "It is a practice aimed at maintaining the ongoing isolation in İmralı."

 

THEY ARE VIOLATING THEIR OWN LAWS

 

Expressing that there is a special isolation in Imrali, Yoleri underlined that the isolation was put into effect immediately after Öcalan was handed over to Turkey and it continues to get worse. Stating that the reports released by Öcalan's lawyers also draw attention to the rules of isolation Yoleri said, "When we evaluate the rules of execution legally, this practice violates the rules of execution and therefore it is discrimination."

 

VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

 

Saying that "Isolation is a grave violation of human rights," Yoleri said, "Isolation is torture when evaluated in terms of human rights. This torture continues for Öcalan. We know that the ban, the prevention of his visitation rights with his family and his lawyers, is torture in isolation. Banning these communication rights is also a practice aimed at severing one's ties with the outside world."

 

Yoleri said that basing the execution judge's decision on disciplinary action or on the routine practice there was used as an excuse to continue the severe isolation. Explaining that the communication ban to Öcalan is arbitrary, Yoleri said, “When we look at basic human rights, there are inviolable rights. These are rights that cannot be restricted even in wartime. In terms of the rights of the prisoner, it is not possible to define a practice aimed at preventing the bond of the prisoner with the outside for such long time and for arbitrary reasons, within the law.”

 

THE CONNECTION OF ISOLATION WITH POLITICS

 

Expressing that the practices in Imrali are directly related to politics, not the law, Yoleri continued her words as follows: “Basic human rights cannot be a matter of discussion in politics.  We consider this practice to be unlawful and contrary to human rights. This practice must end immediately.”

 

DISCIPLINARY PUNISHMENT

 

Emphasizing that the reasoning of Öcalan's disciplinary punishment is aimed at convincing the international public  opinion, Yoleri said, "There is no other explanation for this ban that went on for so long. It was a political decision from the start. The visits were banned after the peace process. Öcalan's lawyers and family were able to visit him in prison durşng the peace process and there were no problems due to these visits. They decide on his basic human rights accordingly with the conjunction.

 

 

MA / Esra Solin Dal