NEWS CENTER -  It has been revealed that PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan was given a disciplinary penalty in September 2018 on the grounds that paced back and forth in his cell.

 

ÖCALAN WAS PUNISHED FOR PACING THE CELL!

 

Öcalan's visits with his family and lawyers have been banned for years on different grounds such as 'weather opposition', 'the broken coaster' and some disciplinary offences, which could not be learned from the prison administration for so long.

 

In Imrali, where the law is not enforced, there are no limits on disciplinary punishments. An interesting offence has been added to the list of punishments recently. It was learned that Öcalan's right to be visited by his family was banned on grounds of a punishment for pacing his cell back and forth. He was banned from being visited by his family for 3 months for 'turning the sports activity into a chat with other prisoners'.

 

ÖCALAN OBJECTED

 

PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who appealed to the Bursa Execution Judge regarding the sentence given, stated that the pacing the floor is the only possible way to exercise in prisons, and emphasized that this right was violated and the wrong must be corrected.

 

CPT: A DECEPTIONAL REASON

 

This disciplinary punishment given to Öcalan was also included in the report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) announced on 6 August 2020 regarding its visit between 6-17 May 2019. In its report, the CPT stated that the grounds for blocking family visits were deceptive and added that “The CPT wishes to emphasize that restrictions on family visits as a form of disciplinary punishment should only be applied if the offense is the result of such contacts. It is obvious that this is not the case in the current situation”.

 

In the same report, the CPT underlined the need to develop a sustainable system for the family and lawyer visits of Öcalan and other detainees in Imrali Prison, and said, “The CPT aims to ensure that all prisoners in Imrali Prison could be visited by relatives and lawyers if they wish. CPT urges you to take the necessary steps. To this end, the practice of banning family visits for 'disciplinary' reasons should be ended."

 

 

MA / Özgür Paksoy