PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan was brought to Turkey on February 15, 1999 by an international conspiracy and put into the Type F High Security Closed Prison on İmralı Island. Abdullah Öcalan has been held under aggravated isolation in the prison since that date. Abdullah Öcalan has never been taken out of his solitary cell during this period. On November 17, 2009, 15 years ago, his cell was changed and he was held in worse conditions. After this change, which Abdullah Öcalan described as the “November 17 coup”, both the isolation and conditions in İmralı have worsened. 

 

CELL DOWNSIZED, ISOLATION WORSENED

 

Abdullah Öcalan met with his lawyers a day after the cell change and stated that the new cell was worse than the old one. Abdullah Öcalan emphasized that the aim of the cell change was to “take over”. Informing his lawyers that the old cell was 12 square meters and the new cell is 6 square meters, Abdullah Öcalan stated that it was impossible to see outside in the new cell. Abdullah Öcalan emphasized that these practices are presented as improvements, but the aim is to reduce the pressure of the public opinion and the CPT. 

 

In subsequent meetings with his lawyers, Abdullah Öcalan frequently emphasized the change of cells and the conditions of the new cell. In his meeting with his lawyers on November 25, 2009, Abdullah Öcalan stated that his health problems had increased and that it was difficult to breathe due to the ventilation system and that the room was stuffy. Abdullah Öcalan stated that he had written a report on his life to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and emphasized that the new cell was recommended by the CPT and the ECHR and that they were responsible for what happened. 

 

Abdullah Öcalan said: “They should generalize this situation with continuous actions. They should demand that the CPT turn back from its mistake and demand that the conditions be improved. This situation is the CPT's, their plan, their mess. They have to come here. They have to come and see and examine this place."

 

PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF THE NEW CELL 

 

In the same interview, Abdullah Öcalan said the following about the physical structure of the new cell: “The place where I am staying has one floor. The heating conditions are like a lawyer's interview room, not bad. There is no problem with the lighting. The place where I am staying is 6-6,5 square meters. They built a closed bathroom and toilet adjacent to each other, so they are inside each other. I have a bed right next to the wall. It is adjacent to the wall. There is a very narrow distance between the other wall and my bed. There is almost enough space for only one person to pass between the wall and my bed. There are a few steps of walking distance. I commute this narrow distance. It's a very narrow place.”

 

'MENDERES DID NOT LAST 24 HOURS'

 

Abdullah Öcalan stated that the conditions in İmralı are worse than execution and said that former prime minister Adnan Menderes, who was executed in 1961, could not endure the conditions in İmralı for 24 hours. Underlining that he lives in İmralı for his responsibilities and struggles for the people, Abdullah Öcalan said that he will continue his honorable struggle. Saying that he will continue to live for his people, Öcalan emphasized that he does not know how long he can withstand the conditions. 

 

'DEATH PIT'

 

Describing the new cell as a “death pit”, Abdullah Öcalan said: “The prison administration here, no one can act on their own and directly. The warden here cannot make decisions on his own either. As I have said before, this place is run privately and with outside interference. All these forces have achieved their goals on me. This is how they continue the conspiracy. For 20 years this conspiracy has been going on. This 20-year-long conspiracy needs to be understood. What they could not get from Turkey for centuries, they have obtained in the form of concessions by using my situation and taking advantage of my situation. Are these not seen?” 

 

'A SYSTEMATIC PLACE' 

 

Abdullah Öcalan, in his lawyer meeting dated January 13, 2010, said that the problems regarding the new cell continued.  “The new place is a skillfully and consciously built, systematic place. It was built very specially and consciously and with fine planning. I feel like I'm at the bottom of a well 15 meters deep. I'm out of breath, I can't sleep. I couldn't sleep yesterday either. I ventilate the room by opening the window. I can't sit in the ventilation. The ventilation area consists of high concrete walls and is only five to seven meters long. It is smaller than the old ventilation,” Abdullah Öcalan said. 

 

'I WILL NOT COMPROMISE MY PRINCIPLES'

 

Referring to the suggestions made by then Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek to the press about the conditions in İmralı, Abdullah Öcalan said: “I have made my decision here. I will be neither too moderate, conciliatory nor too harsh. I will be flexible in politics, but I will not compromise my principles. I will not take extreme approaches on both sides. I will struggle to protect my soul here. I will try to fill my days here in a meaningful way. I will adhere to the memory of the Mazlum and Kemal.” 

 

'I WILL NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO ROT'

 

On June 8, 2011, Abdullah Öcalan pointed out that İmralı was established before the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and said: “Guantanamo, the people held there are held as hostages. They try to get information from those held there through illegal means and try to make use of them. In fact, this is a place that was conceived and realized before the US Guantanamo. I am also being held here as a hostage. What happens to hostages? Either what is demanded in exchange for his political power and position is fulfilled and he is released, or the conditions of the hostage-takers are not fulfilled and the hostage is killed, or nothing is done and the hostage languishes. There are two or three such consequences of hostage-taking. I will not allow myself to rot here.” 

 

ISOLATION EMPHASIZED IN LAST MEETING 

 

Abdullah Öcalan drew attention to the isolation in his meeting with his nephew Ömer Öcalan on October 23 after 43 months. Abdullah Öcalan said: “Isolation continues. If the conditions are right, I have the theoretical and practical capacity to move this process from the ground of conflict and violence to the ground of law and politics.” 

 

MA / Emrullah Acar