ISTANBUL - At least 19 families and 11 lawyers have been banned from visiting PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has not been heard from in İmralı Prison for 32 months, in the last 8 years.
There has been no news from PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held under severe isolation conditions in İmralı Type F High Security Prison for 25 years, for 32 months. The obstacles to visiting lawyers and family, which started on the grounds of "bad weather" and "broken coaster", are now being continued with systematic "disciplinary penalties". Abdullah Öcalan, whose telephone and other communication rights were "suspended" in İmralı in addition to the visit bans, was last able to meet with his lawyers on August 7, 2019 after July 27, 2011.
CONTACT VISIT
Abdullah Öcalan, whose right to meet with his family was constantly denied, was last able to meet with his brother Mehmet Öcalan on March 3, 2020, due to public pressure due to concerns about health and security conditions. Abdullah Öcalan, who was able to use his telephone right for the first time after 21 years during the meeting with his brother Mehmet Öcalan on April 27, 2020, was last heard from through the "interrupted" phone call he had with his brother Mehmet Öcalan on March 25, 2021. We have compiled the meeting bans systematically imposed on Abdullah Öcalan, who has not been heard from for 32 months, over the last 8 years.
FAMILY VISIT BANS
By the decision of the Bursa Execution Judgeship, Abdullah Öcalan was given at least 19 family visit bans in 8 years. An indefinite ban on family visits was imposed on the grounds of the State of Emergency (OHAL), which was first declared after the coup attempt on July 21, 2016. On March 2, 2018, this decision was continued with the ban on family visits given by the judgeship for 6 months.
On September 14, 2018, a 3-month family visit ban was given by the Prison Disciplinary Board. Following this ban, Abdullah Öcalan's right to visit his family was denied on the grounds of at least 16 "disciplinary penalties". In 2019, Abdullah Öcalan's right to visit his family was blocked 4 times by the decision of the Disciplinary Board. "Disciplinary penalties" were also put forward in the decisions regarding obstruction of vision dated January 2, April 22, July 10 and October 21. In 2020, two separate 3-month family visit bans were made by the Disciplinary Board in its decisions dated February 9 and September 30.
In 2021, a 3-month family visit ban was given to Abdullah Öcalan on January 29, August and December 18. The Board decided to ban Abdullah Öcalan from family visits in 2022. These were awarded on February 3, May 31, September 9 and December 21 respectively. In 2023, when the bans continued, 3 separate, 3-month family visit bans were imposed on Abdullah Öcalan on March 15, June and September 26.
LAWYER VISIT BANS
Abdullah Öcalan was last able to meet with his lawyers on July 27, 2011. Abdullah Öcalan, who was not allowed to meet with his lawyers for 8 years, was able to meet with his lawyers 5 times as a result of the hunger strike action that was initiated in 2018 under the leadership of Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair Leyla Güven and spread to prisons. The last of these meetings took place on August 7, 2019. Abdullah Öcalan is not allowed to meet with his lawyers due to the ban on seeing lawyers after this date.
INDEFINITE LAWYER VISIT BAN
On July 21, 2016, the Bursa Execution Judgeship gave Abdullah Öcalan an indefinite ban on seeing a lawyer, again on the grounds of the state of emergency. In 2018, by the decision of the judge, Abdullah Öcalan was banned from visiting lawyers for two separate 6 months, on March 2 and September 6. On March 13, 2019, the judgeship issued a 6-month ban on seeing lawyers. During this period of hunger strikes, this ban was lifted upon the objection of the lawyers and 5 meetings were held on May 2-22, June 12-18 and August 7.
While the judgeship issued a 6-month ban on seeing lawyers on September 23, 2020, it issued two separate 6-month bans on seeing lawyers on April 1 and October 12, 2021. On April 13 and October 21, 2022, the judgeship decided on a 6-month ban on seeing lawyers, and on April 26, 2023, it decided on a 6-month ban on seeing lawyers; however, the reasons for these decisions were not reported.