Initiatives are continuing regarding the situation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is held in absolute isolation in Imrali Type F High Security Closed Prison and has not been heard from for 39 months, and prisoners Ömer Hayri Konar, Veysi Aktaş and Hamili Yıldırım. Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD), Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) and Social Law applied to the Ankara Bar Association after no response was given to the lawyers' application to the Ministry of Justice for Imrali. Legal organizations asked the bar association to take action against the Imrali isolation.

 

RESPONSE TO MINISTER TUNC

 

A statement was made following the petition submitted at the Ankara Courthouse. ÖHD Ankara Branch Co-Chair Çiğdem Kozan pointed out that they could not fulfill their legal activities and said that they applied to the bar association. Kozan said: "We had previously submitted our application to the bar association."

 

Referring to Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç's "no isolation" statements, Kozan said: "The Minister said, 'There is no isolation, the decisions of the execution judgeship are being implemented.' However, this is not only the decision of the execution judgeship. It must be said that the isolation policy of politics is implemented. Not being allowed to meet with lawyers and the execution judge's permanent decision is not in accordance with the law."