AMED - Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD) will make a statement in all its branches on the "right to hope" on the agenda of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Muhittin Muğuç, President of ÖHD Amed (Diyarbakır) Branch, emphasised that there is no obstacle to the "right to hope". 

  

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in 2014 that the imprisonment of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan for life without the possibility of release was a "violation". Although 11 years have passed, no amendments have been made to the relevant laws, and the issue has once again come to the agenda of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. 

 

The Committee will include the "right to hope" on its agenda at its meeting on 15-17 September. ÖHD will make a statement in all its branches before the meeting demanding that "the right to hope be implemented immediately". In Amed, a mass statement will be held in front of Ofis AZC Plaza on 14 September at 17.00 pm local time under the leadership of ÖHD. 

 

'THE RIGHT TO HOPE MUST BE ENSURED'

 

ÖHD Amed Branch Co-Chair Muhittin Muğuç reminded Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Leader Devlet Bahçeli's statements on the "right to hope" in the Parliament and said: "If Mr Öcalan is making a call, why shouldn't he come and speak in the Parliament or why shouldn't his physical freedom be ensured? There is no reason for this not to happen. In order for this issue to be resolved urgently, for the construction of a democratic society and peace to come, for integration to be achieved, the freedom of the actors must be ensured. The right to hope must be ensured."

 

Drawing attention to the violation of the "right to hope" of many prisoners in addition to Öcalan, Muğuç said: "The isolation and pressure imposed on Mr Abdullah Öcalan directly affects other people as well." 

 

Muğuç said that prisoners sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment are also facing a new punishment: "As the isolation in İmralı intensified, the prototype of these practices went to other prisons. The same applies to the 'right to hope'. The implementation of the 'right to hope' in the person of Mr Öcalan means that other prisoners in the same position will also benefit from this situation." 

 

'COMMITTEE DOES NOT FOLLOW PROCEDURES'

 

Muğuç said that the Committee of Ministers has spread the actions to be taken against the violation decision given in 2014 over time and noted that although Turkey did not implement the violation decision, the relevant procedures were not implemented by the committee. He said: "The Committee should indicate to the relevant units and bodies that the state has not implemented this decision persistently and has not complied with the agreements it has agreed to. Turkey is a state with an EU membership process. Whether the membership process will be suspended or the related relations will be severed... these are decisions to be made by the relevant bodies. Or it will again notify the ECtHR that this judgement has not been implemented and a new judgement will be issued. Non-implementation of a judgement of violation is actually a violation. There is a concrete violation." 

 

'THE ACTOR OF THE PROCESS IS ÖCALAN'

 

Pointing to the Peace and Democratic Society Process, Muğuç concluded: "It is Mr Öcalan who initiated this process, who took all the initiative and responsibility. The process is being carried out between the representatives of the state and Mr Öcalan, who is recognised as the leader of the PKK and the Kurdish people. The primary actors in this process are the state and Mr Öcalan. Mr Öcalan is the one who convinced the Kurdish people of this situation. It is Mr Öcalan who is making a discourse on how the new process should be based on democratic society, peace and integration. However, the commission (National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission) neither meets with him nor does the state allow the 'right to hope'."

 

Muğuç emphasised that if the "right to hope" is implemented, the isolation will be lifted. Muğuç invited all circles to the statement they will make in Amed on 14 September to ensure their demands. 

 

MA / Rukiye Payiz Adıgüzel