İZMİR - While the OPCW does not conduct any investigation into Turkey's use of chemical weapons, international organisations such as the CPT only "monitor" the gross violations of rights in prisons, especially in İmralı.

 

The attacks launched by Turkey on the Zap, Metîna and Avaşîn regions of the Federated Kurdistan Region on April 17 have left their 6th month behind. In the ongoing attacks in partnership with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), chemical weapons are used, which are prohibited by international conventions and considered crimes against humanity. It was announced that 17 HPG and YJA-Star members lost their lives due to the use of chemical weapons in August, September and October. It also published images of 2 HPG members who died after being exposed to chemical weapons.

 

DELEGATION NOT ALLOWED

 

International organisations are silent about chemical weapons, whose footage has been published and called for investigation. Independent organisations have always been prevented from conducting investigations in the region. Doctors from International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), who went to the Federated Kurdistan Region on September 20-27, were not allowed to conduct on-site examinations. The delegation wanted to meet with citizens and doctors affected by chemical gases in the region; however, it was blocked by the KDP.

 

In its report released on October 21, the delegation stated that there is strong evidence that Turkey has committed chemical weapons crimes. The report called on the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to open an investigation.

 

INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS

 

Chemical weapons, which were used many times in the past years, were banned by the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907, the Geneva Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) opened for signature by the United Nations in 1993. In addition, the use of chemical weapons in contracts was considered a "war crime". According to the most recent contract, the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons are prohibited. Turkey is among the countries that signed this convention.

 

CONFESSION FROM AKAR

 

However, despite all international conventions and protocols, no investigation was conducted on the use of chemical weapons in the Federated Kurdistan Region. Turkey has always been content with denying it. The confession of Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, who spoke at the Parliamentary Plan and Budget Committee on November 16, 2021, was also not taken into account. Stating that the army does not have chemical weapons in its inventory, Akar said that they only use pepper spray, but, according to the CWC, the use of pepper spray is also prohibited during the war. Against these confessional words, international institutions did not take action.

 

INTERNATIONAL SILENCE

 

In its response to JINNEWS on the latest chemical weapons attacks, the OPCW stated that they could conduct investigations at the request of any of the state's parties. The OPCW, which has prepared many reports on the chemical weapons used in Syria, has once again shown with its final response that it will not take any steps when it comes to the Kurds. International institutions and organisations such as the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the World Health Organisation and the International Criminal Court (ICC), which conduct research on human health, have not shown any reaction to the issue so far.

 

ATTITUDE OF INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS

 

The silence of non-governmental organisations fighting against chemical weapons and similar crimes also drew attention in this process. Amnesty International, which has made many statements about the Ukraine-Russia war, Israel's attacks on Palestine and the Syrian civil war, is one of them. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) also did not make an institutional statement. Former MSF president and current advisory board member Dr. Brauman made an individual statement and said that the only solution was for an expert panel of independent experts to go to the area where the allegations were made and investigate.

 

THE SAME APPROACH IN THE ISOLATION  CONDITIONS

 

The silence of international institutions and organisations in Turkey continues not only against the use of chemical weapons, but also against violations of rights in prisons. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and Punishment (CPT) is content only with "monitoring and reporting" the violations of rights in prisons in Turkey. The CPT visited the İmralı Prison, where PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has not been heard from since March 25 2021, is being held, but did not issue a report. The CPT states that, like the OPCW, it cannot issue a report without the "consent of the states parties". The Committee Against Torture, working under the United Nations, does not take a single step against torture, suspicious death and isolation in Turkey.

 

MA / Tolga Guney