CPT travels 2 thousand 394 km, lawyers 124 km away are not allowed

  • actual
  • 12:29 2 December 2022
  • |
img
ANKARA - While the CPT delegation traveled 2,394 kilometers from Strasbourg to Imrali Island, lawyers who are 124 kilometers away are not allowed to meet with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan.
 
PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in Imrali Type F High Security Prison under severe isolation conditions, has been facing a ban on lawyers since July 27, 2011, although he held 5 meetings with his lawyers in 2019 as a result of the hunger strike actions. Abdullah Öcalan, whose family visits are also blocked, cannot be heard from after the last intermittent phone call on March 25, 2021.
 
CPT VISITED TO IMRALI
 
The last visit to Imrali Island was made by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) delegation between September 20-29. During its last visit to Turkey, the CPT announced that it met Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners Ömer Hayri Konar, Veysi Aktaş and Hamili Yıldırım in İmralı Type F High Security Prison.
 
In the statement dated November 29, Asrın Law Office, which is the defense attorney of Abdullah Öcalan, said: "We have heard that Mr. Öcalan did not attend the meeting during the CPT's visit to İmralı Island in September 2022." The PKK leader's failure to attend the meeting was interpreted as a protest against the lawyer's social barrier. As a matter of fact, in the last meeting he held with his brother Mehmet Öcalan on March 25, 2021, Öcalan said: “I want my lawyers to come here and talk to me. This is a legal thing. Why don't they come here? If there is going to be a meeting, it should be with lawyers."
 
CPT REMAINED OBSERVING THE ISOLATION
 
The aggravated isolation in Imralı Prison, where Abdullah Öcalan has been held for 23 years, was perpetuated despite the visits of the CPT and the reports it prepared after these visits. The CPT official, who was on Imrali Island and met Abdullah Öcalan on February 15, 1999, said: "Now these are your conditions, but we will continue to monitor", but the CPT remained observing the isolation system.
 
CPT PRINCIPLES IS NOT IMPLEMENTED
 
In the CPT standards, it is said that “It is also very important that prisoners maintain reasonable contact with the outside world. Above all, prisoners should be given the opportunity to maintain relationships with their families or close friends. The basic principle here should be to support contact with the outside world”, although these principles are not applied.
 
CPT COULD VISIT IMRALI, LAWYERS IS NOT ALLOWED
 
While the CPT traveled 2,394 kilometers from Strasbourg, France, 9 times in 23 years, to Imrali, lawyers who are 124 kilometers away are not allowed to go to the Island.
 
MA / Özgür Paksoy
 
 

View More Articles

30/06/2025
17:00 Amed Ecology Assembly: Let's defend nature with communes
14:54 Women's festival on its second day
14:15 Kerim Boran releases
11:46 Mothers: Unity must be achieved
10:57 People want to meet Abdullah Öcalan to come to Turkey
10:42 Civil society organisations call on government to take steps
10:14 4 years since the Istanbul Convention cancelled: We will not give up
09:26 Presidential pardon for ill prisoner Boran
29/06/2025
15:24 Struggle of the Kurdish people will end in victory says DBP Chair Bayındır
14:21 'Women should be involved in process'
13:48 Labour in Democratic Society Workshop: Let’s be builders, not watchers
12:25 War increases the number of disabled
11:56 According to Constitutional Court, killing of Rozerin Cukur lawful!
10:43 Journalists: Those threatening our colleague must be prosecuted
10:28 The problems of the 'Others' await solutions
09:47 Constitutional jurist Yokuş: The process will succeed with legal guarantees
08:00 Final declaration of Sheikh Seid conference published
27/06/2025
18:04 Call for Freedom of Abdullah Öcalan at UK Parliament
16:26 Rights organisations declare start to work to contribute to process
15:00 Şırnak Journalists Association: We stand by Zeynep Durgut
14:56 Prison report: Even the most basic human rights have been suspended
13:50 Abdullah Öcalan sends message to conference in Brussels
12:12 Families apply to İmralı Directorate
11:15 From Amed to the government: Call to ‘take action and end operations’
09:25 ‘Child detention increases crime rates’
09:25 Meral Danış Beştaş: Developments in the Middle East urge Turkey to resolve its internal issues
09:24 Lost four family members during the conflict: The state must take steps
09:23 Crisis felt in Wan and Qers: The solution lies in peace
09:22 Father of two sons buried under a sidewalk: Only peace can ease our pain
08:37 5 regions declared as 'special security zones' in Şirnex
26/06/2025
16:53 Bakırhan call for support for 'process' in his contacts in the UK
15:57 Human Rights Organizations to government: Comply with UN’s report on life sentences
15:00 Ikram Balekani: The solution for Iran is Democratic Confederalism
14:19 'Freedom Watch' enters its 14th year
13:08 The process has reached an important stage say İmralı delegation
12:24 Dubbins warns EU about process: It would be catastrophic if moment not seized
11:22 Threat to our reporter who uncovered the 'Prostitution Gang'
11:09 Circassians on the ‘Process’: Democracy is everyone’s issue, stereotypes must be broken
10:39 Socialist Organizations: We all have duties for a democratic society and republic
09:57 After 31 years imprisonment: Let's embrace the process
08:52 İmralı Delegation to meet with Parliament Speaker
25/06/2025
17:03 OHD Marmara region report: Release of 93 prisoners blocked
16:53 Reasoned decision of Kobani Case announced after 1 year, 1 month and 10 days
15:18 ESM announces Collective Agreement demands
14:52 Four youths detained in Amed
14:44 Council of Europe to discuss Abdullah Öcalan’s ‘Right to Hope’ in September
13:34 Sıddık Güler referred to Forensic Medicine Institute
12:57 Call for united struggle against violations in prisons
12:34 Artists: Military operations during talks are inexcusable
11:31 Ecosystem destruction in Gabar Mountain