NEWS CENTER - Expressing that Turkey is discussed at every meeting of the Council of Europe, HDP Foreign Relations Commission Co-Spokesperson Feleknas Uca said, "If Europe acts bravely, Turkey's war policy will come to an end."

 

PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan who was handed over to Turkey with an international conspiracy is held in aggravated isolation conditions in İmralı Island Prison since February 15, 1999. European Court of Human Rights which attorneys of Öcalan applied against the aggravated isolation imposed on Öcalan, concluded the decision and ruled that the aggravated isolation on Öcalan violates the 3rd article of the European Convention on Human Rights in banning torture and ill-treatment on March 18, 2014. ECtHR also gave the same decision for Hayati Kaytan, Emin Gurban and Civan Boltan.

 

When Turkey did not implement these decisions made in 2014, the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), Society and Law Research Foundation (TOHAV), Human Rights Association (İHD) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that oversaw the decisions of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Ministers on 26 July. The Committee, which accepted the application, will discuss the decision at the meeting to be held on 30 November-2 December.

 

HISTORICAL ROLE AND MISSION

 

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Foreign Relations Commission Co-Spokesperson Feleknas Uca evaluated the isolation against Öcalan and the application made by the lawyers. Stating that Öcalan has a historical role and mission, Uca said the following regarding the aggravated isolation system: “The international conspiracy that started with the removal of Mr. Öcalan from Syria continues today with the isolation in Imralı Island. The Democratic Nation project is being targeted through isolation. The main purpose here is to leave the Kurdish problem unsolved. For this reason, with the Imrali isolation system, they are trying to separate Mr. Öcalan from the Kurdish people, they want to deprive the society of its freedom. These are the founding codes of the Republic of Turkey, Turkey have always insisted on war and the denial of the Kurds.  

 

THE IDEA OF FREE LIFE

 

Stating that the state has increased the pressure on Imrali Island, Uca said, "They failed to rip Mr. Öcalan away from the Kurdish people by isolating him. Mr. Öcalan managed to reach the peoples with his idea of ​​a free life. Although the family and lawyers could not see him, Mr. Öcalan's ideas went beyond Imrali Island. Between 2013 and 2015, the world public saw the role and importance of Mr. Öcalan. He showed how important he is in the solution of the Kurdish problem. As a matter of fact, in the last meeting with him, he said, "I can solve the Kurdish question in a week," and revealed his role and power in the solution of the Kurdish problem. However, the state persisted in its hostility towards Kurds. The AKP-MHP government follows a policy based on the genocide of the Kurdish people. Without the politics of war, AKP-MHP government will fail." 

 

EC AND CPT ARE COGS IN THE SAME MACHINE

 

Regarding the application made by human rights organisations and legal organisations to the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, Uca said, "The Guantanamo system has been applied more heavily in Imrali for 23 years. European states are also parties to the CPT convention. The CPT conducts visits to prisons against torture. Just as Europe watched Guantanamo, Imrali is under the observation and control of the CPT. The Council of Europe and the CPT are part of the system carried out in İmralı, they are the cogs in the same machine. For this reason, the CPT announced its reports and held meetings. The only organization that can go into Imrali is the CPT. It visited İmralı many times. In 2017, 2019, Imrali announced its report. The practices in Imrali were criticized in these reports. Reports were announced many times in the Council of Europe, and it was emphasized that the right of every prisoner to meet with their family cannot be denied. However, when we look at Imrali, there is a situation that goes beyond torture." 

 

TURKEY IS BEING DISCUSSED

 

Uca underlined that the system implemented in İmralı is directly related to Europe and spoke as follows regarding the Committee meeting: “A road map will be drawn up. Turkey is also a member of the Council of Europe. Therefore, it should take steps according to the decisions to be made. Today, we see that Turkey has not taken a single step. There is also the Demirtaş and Kavala decision of the Council of Europe. However, Turkey has an attitude against this decision as well. It is expected that some decisions will be taken at this meeting regarding both İmralı, Demirtaş and Kavala. The Council of Europe states that states that do not comply with the resolutions should be expelled from membership. Council member states are constantly discussing Turkey. The Council of Europe convenes every 3 months, and Turkey is discussed at each meeting. Turkey can no longer can continue human rights violations. Sanctions await Turkey, and its removal from the council may even come to the fore."

 

TURKEY- EUROPE RELATIONSHIP

 

Referring to the relations between Turkey and Europe, Uca said, “We know the trade relations of Europe with Turkey. There is a relationship that is maintained mostly through the sale of weapons. Germany is an example. Germany is one of the countries that sells the most weapons to Turkey. Germany is the one that puts the most pressure on the Kurds. It does not even want the isolation to become an agenda in Germany. With the PKK ban, Germany continues to support this situation. The state policies are the same when it comes to isolation. The weapons that Germany sold to Turkey were used in the invasion of Afrin. This is a known fact. Europe has been held hostage for the last 4 years, after Turkey used the Syrian refugees as leverage. Democratization and human rights are forgotten. For this reason, Europe is responsible for Erdogan's policies. They paved the way for Turkey's crimes, they paved the way for Erdogan's crimes, they became partners with Erdogan. For this reason, the AKP-MHP continues its war policy. If Europe is acts bravely, if it imposes saction against Turkey, it will put an end to this war.  If Europe wants to help 82 million people, it must make some bold decisions. This war must stop. Europe must take a firm stand."

 

IF THE DOORS OF IMRALI OPENS...

 

Emphasizing that if the doors of imralı opens, a solution will be possible for many problems of Turkey, Uca said: "Opening the doors will be a great chance for Turkey. It will be the beginning of an important period in the democratization of the country. In short, the key to the solution is in the hands of Mr. Öcalan. If Turkey wants to solve this problem and many other problems of this country are also related to it, it should open the doors of Imrali. If the doors of Imrali are opened, the war policies will come to an end. The money will not flow to feed the war.It will be used for the people. It will be a new era for the people of Turkey. Otherwise, the crisis will deepen further."

 

MA / Ömer Çelik - Özgür Paksoy