The Human Rights Association (IHD) sent a letter to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) on 12 January 2024 with the joint signature of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), Association of Contemporary Lawyers (ÇHD), Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV), Society and Law Research Foundation (TOHAV), Civil Society in the Penal Execution System (CİSST), Muş Bar Association, Van Bar Association, Batman Bar Association, Diyarbakır Bar Association, Hakkari Bar Association, Mardin Bar Association, Urfa Bar Association, Şırnak Bar Association.

In the letter, it was pointed out that the rights of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş, who are held in İmralı Prison, to meet with their families and lawyers were violated.

The signatory organisations made a statement at IHD Headquarters regarding the letter they sent. IHD Co-Chair Hüseyin Küçükbalaban stated that they drew attention to the absolute isolation of PKK Abdullah Öcalan in the letter they sent to CPT.

Küçükbalaban stated the following:

"In our letter to the CPT, we stated that we expected the CPT to contribute to the solution of the problem as a requirement of their authorities and responsibilities arising from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment due to the aggravation of the state of incommunicado in İmralı Prison and the lack of any change in conditions.

On the other hand, Abdullah Öcalan, Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş, who have been held in İmralı F Type High Security Prison, have been subjected to denial of meeting with their families and lawyers and contact with the outside world for about 3 years, with all the severe effects and consequences it has caused.

We would like to share with the public the necessity to take immediate steps to resolve this issue, which is unacceptable in terms of universal legal norms and human rights values and principles, and we will follow up this process."