ŞIRNEX – Jiyan Ormanlı, one of the lawyers who applied to the Ministry of Justice for Imralı, said: "The path of dialogue with Mr. Ocalan must be opened in order to solve the Kurdish issue."
On January 22, 1,330 lawyers applied to the Ministry of Justice to meet with PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is held under absolute isolation conditions in Imralı Type F High Security Prison and has not been heard from for 35 months. Jiyan Ormanlı, a lawyer among the applicants and a candidate for Silopiya (Silopi) Municipality of the People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), said that the way to achieve social reconciliation and peace is through the removal of the absolute isolation imposed in Imralı.
Pointing out that PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan and Omer Hayri Konar, Veysi Aktaş and Hamili Yıldırım, who are held in Imralı, have been in absolute isolation for 3 years, Ormanlı said: “We, the lawyers, also came to meet with Mr. Ocalan and other prisoners held in Imralı Prison regarding the removal of the obstruction of vision. We applied to the Ministry of Justice. When we evaluate it according to both Turkish and international laws, we see that this practice is completely against the law. This practice is arbitrary and political. This practice violates the execution law in Turkey, international laws and the United Nations (UN) Nelson Mandela rules."
'TURKEY DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE RECOMMENDED DECISIONS'
Stating that the isolation imposed in Imralı has spread everywhere, Ormanlı said: “Prisoners must benefit equally from the execution law when entering prison. The state must ensure this equality. However, this equality is not achieved in Turkey. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) had previously visited Imralı Prison and published a report. The published report stated that the rules of the execution law were not implemented in prisons. For this reason, It sent recommendations to Turkey. But Turkey does not comply with these recommendations.”
Referring to their application to the Ministry of Justice, Ormanlı said that they did not know how the process would proceed legally due to the current conditions in Turkey. Noting that the travel bans in Imralı must be abolished as soon as possible, Ormanlı said: “Mr. Ocalan and other prisoners need to be allowed to meet with their lawyers. Because the absolute isolation imposed in Imralı is reflected in all other prisons. Political prisoners in other prisons also see Mr. Ocalan as their Leader and do not accept the isolation imposed on him. For this reason, political prisoners started hunger strikes in prisons. This action has only one demand; To end the isolation imposed on Imralı.”
‘GREAT FREEDOM MARCH’
Ormanlı said: "Kurdish people accept Mr. Ocalan as a leader. Holding Mr. Ocalan in prison causes anger among the people. In Turkey, the path of dialogue with Mr. Ocalan must be opened to solve the Kurdish issue and pave the way for negotiations. When the path of dialogue is opened, social reconciliation and peace can be achieved, there is an ongoing war and this war will stop. Every day deaths will end. It becomes easier to ensure equality and justice. In line with these demands, a group of people, including representatives of political parties and non-governmental organizations that form the dynamics of the society, started the 'Great Freedom March'. This march, which continues in two separate branches of Turkey, has been embraced by the society. Freedom marchers are welcomed with great enthusiasm by the public wherever they go. This enthusiasm and ownership shows the loyalty to Mr. Ocalan and the belief that he will ensure peace. It shows that the only way for peace to come is to end the isolation."