Constitutional Court: Freedom of communication violated in Imrali

The Constitutional Court convened to assess an appeal by Veysi Aktas, who is currently imprisoned in the Imrali island. The court ruled that “freedom of communication has been violated”.

Veysi Aktas, currently imprisoned in the Imrali High Security Type F Closed Prison, was barred from making phone calls between June 2015 and July 2016 on allegations that he was “relaying orders from Abdullah Ocalan to the outside world”. Aktas appealed to the Constitutional Court about this ban.

The Constitutional Court assessed Aktas’ appeal and ruled that him being barred from using the telephone constitutes a violation of the freedom of communication and issued 4.000 Liras in immaterial compensation to be paid to him. The 2.700 Liras of court costs will also be paid to Aktas.

The ruling also said the long term implementation of the ban goes against the proportionality principle.

KURAN’S APPEAL REJECTED

The Constitutional Court also ruled on the appeal submitted by Nasrullah Kuran, who was in the Imrali Prison during the time of the appeal and who has since been transferred to the Silivri Prison in 2016. Kuran’s appeal claiming that his right to privacy and family life was violated as he was not allowed to use the cafeteria or receive visitors was found “baseless” by the Constitutional Court, which ultimately rejected the appeal.