Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan continues to be held under heavy isolation conditions in Imralı F Type High Security Prison. There has been no news from him for 30 months and the silence of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) continues.

Ibrahim Bilmez, one of the lawyers of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, said that the lawlessness in Imralı has spread and spread throughout Turkey "because there is no such thing as a ‘state of exception’ in law. The laws introduced targeting Abdullah Öcalan have become a big problem in Turkey today."

'The conspiracy continues in the form of isolation'

Bilmez said that the conspiracy that took place in 1999 is currently continuing in the form of isolation in Imralı. The lawyer said that the system designed on 15 February 999 was a system aimed at this, and added: "Mr. Abdullah Öcalan, with his uncompromising stance in favor of peace and insistence on a democratic solution, frustrated the aims of that system. It actually made the isolation system futile. The point we have reached today is a point that goes beyond isolation. Because we have not even heard from Abdullah Öcalan for 2.5 years. It is a unique situation in the world. There is no prison in any country in the world where no lawyer or family has been able to go for 2.5 years. The whole world turns a blind eye to this and remains silent."

'Isolation is a problem for everyone living in Turkey'

Bilmez continued: "When I first went to Imralı, at a time when seeing lawyers was rare, the feeling I felt when I first saw Mr. Abdullah Öcalan and when I left, there was a tremendous feeling of loneliness. Abdullah Öcalan was being punished for his peace efforts. This is actually what we call isolation. The loneliness there, the silence, were all a method of punishment. It was a method targeting the will of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan. I thought it took great willpower to endure the conditions there. I personally witnessed how he resisted under difficult conditions. To do this, a very strong will and sincere belief is needed. Mr. Abdullah Öcalan endured those conditions thanks to his strong will, and he still endures and continues his struggle, trying to get results. The forces that play a role in the conspiracy process do not sit idle, they continue to play their roles."

Bilmez added: "This is actually the reason for this silence today. The conspiracy [that began in 1998] continues in the form of isolation. Today's isolation and lack of news show this. Those forces and states still do not want a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue, they want the conflict process to continue. Otherwise, these countries would have raised their voices against the isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan. As Öcalan stated in his defense, leaving the Kurdish issue unresolved will cause the people to lose the most. The deadlock and isolation of the Kurdish issue is the problem of everyone living in Turkey."

'The lawlessness in Imrali is spreading to the whole Turkey'

Pointing out that the main reason for the bad economy in Turkey is that the Kurdish issue remains unresolved and isolation, Bilmez added: “Isolation means that the Kurdish issue remains unresolved. That's why everyone living in Turkey needs to raise their voice and take action against isolation, from a human, conscience, moral and legal point of view. This isolation concerns everyone in every sense.

The laws introduced targeting Abdullah Öcalan have become a major problem in Turkey today. Turkey was convicted in the European Court of Human Rights on this issue. For this, everyone needs to show their democratic reaction. Turkey, as a state, needs to understand that leaving this problem unresolved is in the interests of external powers. Turkey must take seriously what Mr. Abdullah Öcalan has said through his repeated calls both before and after the Imrali process. Öcalan was saying: 'Let's solve the Kurdish issue among ourselves and not involve international powers.' That's why the state needs to put an end to this unlawfulness as soon as possible. It needs to eliminate isolation. Resolving the Kurdish issue peacefully will bring benefits to all people. That's why I call on everyone to be more sensitive."