The Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Diyarbakır (Amed) Branch held a press conference expressing concern over the situation of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan who has been held in absolute incommunicado detention on the prison island of Imrali since February 1999, along with Hamili Yıldırım, Ömer Hayri Konar and Veysi Aktaş since March 2015.

Numerous lawyers participated in the press conference where ÖHD Amed Branch Co-Chair Muharrem Şahin read out a statement, saying the following:

“All relevant institutions and authorities, mainly the Bar Associations, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and the Ministry of Justice, should be sensitive and fulfil their responsibilities effectively to end the isolation implemented in İmralı F Type High Security Closed Prison, to lift the ban on lawyer visits and to secure the the attorneyship profession through granting prisoners’ rights offered by domestic and international laws.

The Imrali island prison was built specifically for Abdullah Öcalan in February 1999, in defiance of domestic and international law. Since then, it has been managed through an exclusive status and practices. Mr. Hamili Yıldırım, Mr. Ömer Hayri Konar and Mr. Veysi Aktaş, who are held in the same prison as Mr. Öcalan, have also been subjected to aggravated isolation conditions during their stay on the island.

Since 27 July 2011, no lawyer meetings have been held with Mr. Abdullah Öcalan except for a few lawyers' meetings held between May-August 2019. Mr. Öcalan has had only a few family visits since 2014. He has been able to make two phone calls so far and his last phone call on March 25, 2021 was interrupted in a very short time. There has been no communication with Öcalan since March 25, 2021.

Öcalan cannot even enjoy his most basic legal rights. Despite explicit provisions in Turkish criminal procedures, requests to meet Öcalan are rejected in an unfair and unlawful manner. Legal rules are general norms that apply to everyone. However, the restriction or non-implementation of these rights to the detriment of certain groups and individuals is not only against national and international legislation, but also against the principle of equality. Mr. Öcalan has the same rights as convicts in other prisons. Otherwise, there would be neither a principle of equality nor a rule of law. The people who are most committed to the legal order are law practitioners and administrators. However, it is obvious that the law enforcement and prison administrations are the ones that commit the most serious violations under the current circumstances.

In light of the above-mentioned facts, it is a legal and humanitarian obligation for all relevant institutions and authorities, mainly the Bar Associations, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and the Ministry of Justice, to uphold their responsibilities to end the isolation executed in Imralı F Type High Security Closed Prison, to lift the ban on lawyer visits and to secure the the attorneyship profession through granting prisoners’ rights offered by domestic and international laws.”

Şahin added that the ÖHD applied, together with 105 lawyers, to the Diyarbakır Bar Association to take action against the isolation.