ISTANBUL - Stating that the isolation is a fundamental problem and that everyone should take steps towards its solution, MAF-DAD Co-Chair Mahmut Şakar said that the forces in Europe should be made a part of the solution together with the democratic forces in Turkey.
In the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg, France, the European Union of Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights (ELDH), International Law and Democracy Association (MAF-DAD), AP's Left Party (Die Linke), Socialists and Democrats In cooperation with the Progressive Alliance (S&D), a conference entitled “Rights and Freedoms in Turkey: Law, Prisons and the Kurdish Question” was held on 13 June. While representatives of legal organizations and political parties in Europe attended the conference, it was emphasized that the solution to the main problems in Turkey, especially the Kurdish issue, was PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who was kept in absolute isolation in Imrali F-Type High Security Prison, as a result of the discussions at the conference.
Mahmut Şakar, co-chairman of MAF-DAD, one of the institutions organizing the conference, made evaluations to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) regarding the prominent agendas and results of the discussions held within the scope of the conference topics, and the approaches and observations of European political party representatives and lawyers towards Turkey.
EFFECTS OF ISOLATION ON THE LEGAL SYSTEM
Stating that he conveyed the observations of the lawyers working in the field at the conference, Şakar said: "The European participants expressed how they viewed the issue from their political positions. The change and transformation of the judiciary in Turkey is one of the topics of discussion. Both the prison regime and the phenomenon of isolation; In a little while, it was talked about how the judiciary became politicized in Turkey and how it became an apparatus of the current government. In the context of these issues in Turkey, the photograph was presented to the platform. While the Imrali practice was explained in detail, it was discussed how the non-implementation of the ECtHR judgments and the isolation imposed on Öcalan affected Turkey and how this system affected the Turkish legal system. We have revealed all these under the main headings. Of course, politicians in Europe presented their observations on Turkey based on the data presented. It was revealed that they knew and followed the situation in Turkey, that the developments were not encouraging and that they took some initiatives. I can also say that the basic approach of European politicians is at a somewhat critical point.”
THE SILENCE OF EUROPE
Stating that the EP is not the executive, the decision-making mechanism of Europe, but it stands at an important point, Şakar said: "Although the left and progressive democrat sections in the parliament are sensitive to the isolation and problems in the country, there is a large majority that remains silent. The main reason for the silence of international institutions on this issue is both because the isolation is an international power and because of Turkey's bargaining with Europe on the refugee issue, Şakar underlined that this issue was raised at the conference.
'IT MUST BE PART OF THE SOLUTION'
Şakar continued: “Indeed, there are institutions that do not fulfill their responsibilities, do not fulfill their commitments, do not act and do not play their role. They have been silent about isolation, but there is also a more progressive and sensitive vein towards isolation. It would not be right to attribute more meaning to these institutions than they can lift. Of course, this isolation may end with the revolutionary, progressive and democratic forces in Turkey, but we should not see the forces in Europe as the main solution forces. Maybe they are not a solution point, but making them a part of the solution is also important for our struggle strategy.”