ISTANBUL - Despite all the applications of Asrın Law Office and human and legal organizations, the absolute isolation in Imrali has entered its 28th month.

 

The state of not being able to hear from Hamili Yıldırım, Veysi Aktaş and Ömer Hayri Konar, who have been in the same prison as PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who have been held in absolute isolation in İmralı Type F High Security Closed Prison since he was brought to Turkey with an international conspiracy on February 15, 1999, left the month behind. Since the day he was brought to Imrali, Abdullah Öcalan's communication with the outside has been constantly blocked for various reasons.

 

Abdullah Öcalan, who has not been allowed to meet with his lawyers since July 27, 2011, for reasons such as "Koster is broken", "adverse weather", as a result of the public pressure caused by the hunger strikes that started on November 8, 2018 and spread to all prisons under the leadership of Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair Leyla Güven. He was able to meet with his lawyers 5 times in the same year. The last date he contacted his family was March 25, 2021. Abdullah Öcalan's phone call with his brother Mehmet Öcalan on that date was cut off after 4 and a half minutes.

 

NO NEWS FROM ÖCALAN FOR 2 YEARS

 

Rezan Sarıca and Nevroz Uysal, two of Öcalan's lawyers, were able to meet with their clients after 8 years on May 2-22, June 12-18 and August 7, 2019. Öcalan, who has been held under severe isolation conditions in İmralı High Security F-Type Closed Prison for 25 years, made a phone call yesterday with his brother Mehmet Öcalan after the last phone call on April 27, 2020. However, Mehmet Öcalan had announced that the phone call was interrupted.

 

BANS BROUGHT BEFORE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

 

The lawyers brought the ban on family visits to the Constitutional Court (AYM) with "unlawful" disciplinary penalties on May 12, following the refusal of the judge. In their application to the Constitutional Court, the lawyers drew attention to "incommunicado" situation, which is the absolute state of lack of communication, and demanded that not being informed is torture to the family, that it violates right to respect for family and private life, the right to defense and fair trial, and the right to an effective remedy.

 

LAST CONVERSATION WAS 2 YEARS AGO

 

Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held under severe isolation conditions in Imralı Prison for 25 years, was given the right to speak on the phone for the first time on April 27, 2020. Öcalan had a telephone conversation with his brother Mehmet Öcalan on March 25, 2021, as public concerns grew after some allegations about his life in social media. However, Mehmet Öcalan announced that this meeting was interrupted.

 

LAWYERS HAVE NOT BEEN IN CONTACT FOR 4 YEARS

 

Abdullah Öcalan's lawyers Rezan Sarıca and Newroz Uysal last met their clients on May 2-22, June 12-18 and August 7, 2019, after 8 years. Lawyers have not been allowed to meet with their clients since then.

 

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT DEMANDS AN OPINION FROM THE MINISTRY

 

The Ministry of Justice was asked for opinion on 23 of the applications made to the Constitutional Court (AYM) by Asrın Law Office in the last 8 years. The Ministry presented an opinion to the Constitutional Court on lawyer bans, family disciplinary bans, telephone rights, bans in İmralı during the State of Emergency (OHAL) and many similar issues.

 

ACCORDING TO THE MINISTRY, THERE IS NO 'ILL-TREATMENT'!

 

In the opinion submitted by the Ministry to the Constitutional Court on March 24 regarding the application to prevent lawyers and families from visiting, the Ministry claimed that there was no "ill-treatment" in Imrali, that there were disruptions in the negotiations due to "reasons that were out of reach" and that this situation was "reasonable".

 

UN PROCESS CONTINUES

 

All applications regarding lawyer, family and guardian meetings made throughout 2022 were rejected on the grounds of disciplinary penalties and prohibition decisions. Finally, Asrın Law Firm's lawyers applied to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee at the end of 2022. By sending this application to Turkey, the Committee requested interim measures, including ending the “incommunicado” state, which is the absolute lack of communication, and allowing lawyers to meet with their clients immediately without interruption.

 

MA / Ergin Çağlar