ISTANBUL - Families of PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan and other prisoners in Imralı applied to Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and Imralı Prison Directorate to demand a meeting.

 

There has been no news from PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is held under absolute isolation conditions in Imrali Type F High Security Prison, for 40 months.

 

Ocalan's brother Mehmet Ocalan and his guardian Mazlum Dinç applied to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and Imrali Prison Directorate, demanding a meeting. Prisoners held in Imrali, Ali Konar, brother of Omer Hayri Konar, Polat Yıldırım, brother of Hamili Yıldırım, and Melihe Çetin, sister of Veysi Aktaş, also applied to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and Imralı Prison Directorate, demanding a meeting.

 

REASON FOR 'DISCIPLINARY PENALTY'

 

The right to meet with the families of Abdullah Ocalan and the other three people held in Imralı is being denied, citing "disciplinary penalties". Between 2021 and 2023, Abdullah Ocalan and other prisoners were given at least 5 disciplinary penalties of 3 months each and their right to visit their families was taken away.

 

The reasons and file numbers of these disciplinary penalties are not shared with their lawyers despite all applications and objections.

 

As a result of the applications made by the lawyers of Asrın Law Firm to the Bursa Execution Judgeship, the judgeship stated that disciplinary penalties of 3 months were given on 18 August 2021, 3 months on 3 February 2022, 3 months on 31 May 2022, and 3 months on 9 September 2022.

 

Responding to the application made by the lawyers on July 10, 2023, on July 19, the judgeship announced that there was a 3-month disciplinary penalty, without specifying the date on which it was given. The last application of the lawyers was on October 10, 2023. Responding to the application made to the Bursa Execution Judgeship demanding family visits, on October 13, the court stated that there was a new disciplinary penalty given against Abdullah Ocalan and other prisoners.

 

The judge's office cited "reflection in the press" as the reason for not sharing the file number subject to disciplinary punishment.

 

NEW 3-MONTH FAMILY MEETING BAN

 

Responding to the last application made by lawyers to the Bursa Execution Judgeship in 2024, requesting that family opinions be provided, the court stated that there was a new "disciplinary punishment" given to Abdullah Öcalan by the Disciplinary Board Presidency on March 28. It was learned that the decision was finalized on April 12.

 

Lawyers applied for the disciplinary decision, file and evidence to be given on April 26. However, the applications were rejected. The lawyers' objections against the "disciplinary penalty" decision were rejected on the grounds that the decision was final.