DİYARBAKIR - Stating that the TBB took the application made by the bar associations to its agenda regarding the isolation in Imralı and sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice, ÖHD Co-Chair Bünyamin Şeker said: “We do not know whether there is an answer yet.”

 

There has been no news for over 21 months from PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and prisoners Ömer Hayri Konar, Veysi Aktaş and Hamili Yıldırım, who are held in heavy isolation in İmralı Type F High Security Prison. While applications from lawyers and families are not responded to, attempts by law organizations against isolation continue. The Association for Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) has applied to the Diyarbakır, Şırnak, İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Hakkari, Van, Ankara, Mardin, Batman and Mersin bar associations. In the applications, it was requested to follow up the applications made for the lifting of the ban on lawyers and the violations of the rights included in the domestic and international legislation. Thereupon, some bar associations applied to the Ministry of Justice and the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB) to meet with Öcalan's lawyers and to eliminate the violations of rights. It was learned that the TBB took action on the aforementioned applications and asked the Ministry of Justice about the issue.

 

Answering the questions of the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) regarding the application, Bünyamin Şeker, Co-Chair of the Association for Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), said: "The TBB applied to the Ministry of Justice upon the request of the Diyarbakır, Şırnak and Van bar associations."

 

IMRALI RESISTANCE

 

Pointing out that the isolation was made absolute after the intermittent telephone conversation with Abdullah Öcalan on March 25, 2021, Şeker said: "We have been discussing the process since 1999, considering the process because the Imrali Island Prison was created with a certain logic and mentality to continue the conspiracy process of international forces. This system has many dimensions. International forces tried to liquidate the Kurdish political movement in the person of Mr. Öcalan but something happened that they did not take into account: Mr. Öcalan has been in charge of international forces and the Turkish state in Imrali Island Prison since 1999. Öcalan carries out a resistance against their oppression.”

 

LETTER TO CPT

 

Referring to the statement of Asrın Law Office, which is the defense attorney of Öcalan, "We have a sense that Mr. Öcalan did not attend the meeting during the CPT's visit to İmralı Island in September 2022", Şeker said: "It is very important for us that the CPT makes such an attempt after the application of nearly 2,000 lawyers. It was relatively positive, but after that, it is not acceptable to continue the current situation. Among the 2,000 lawyers, there were lawyers from different countries. We decided to re-evaluate with these lawyers. How can we draw a roadmap? In this sense, we will meet again for the CPT to explain this report or give information about this meeting. Again a letter was sent to the CPT. Another call has been made, now we are waiting for the result. How will the CPT develop a reflex to this? We will see in the future."

 

TBB TOOK ACTION

 

Reminding that they had applied to many bar associations a while ago, Şeker said: "Some bar associations applied to the TBB. We were asked why the meetings were blocked in the applications. Our attempts were continuing. We are trying to have one-on-one meetings with the TBB. We know that the TBB evaluated the application petitions of 3 barons, put it on its agenda and sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice and the General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses. We received such information. There has been no explanation, but we have this information. In this sense, as far as we have learned, we know that the Ministry of Justice has been asked a question about why a lawyer's visit cannot be made. We do not know whether the Ministry of Justice has an answer yet, but we will try to follow up on this in the future."

 

MA / Ruken Polat