Yet another ban has been imposed on the Imralı High Security Island Prison where Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, Ömer Hayri Konar, Veysi Aktaş and Hamili Yıldırım are held.

According to Mesopotamia Agency (MA), Bursa Enforcement Judgeship and Disciplinary Board introduced a three-month family visitation ban citing the “Restrictions against convicts” clause in the “Execution of Sentences and Security Measures Act No.5275”.

Lawyers from the Asrın Law Office that advocates Öcalan and other prisoners on Imralı, have learned about the new ban only after the rejection of the appeal made by families for a visit to Imralı on August 16.

Lawyers requested to be given the file in order to raise an objection, but the Judgeship responded that objection period is over for Öcalan, while the objections made by 3 other prisoners to Bursa 1st Heavy Penal Court have been rejected, and the decision became definite on August 9.

Denied the file so as to appeal against the verdict of the Bursa Enforcement Judgeship, lawyers filed an appeal to Bursa 1st Heavy Penal Court on September 4. While the court is yet to rule on the appeal, lawyers appealed to the Constitutional Court (AYM) for Aktaş, Konar and Yıldırım on September 9.

Lawyer Turgut stated that their clients have been deprived of many fundamental rights such as visitation and phone talk. Turgut noted that the content of the decisions has not been submitted to them, adding; “The files were kind of taken away from us. We had to convey many appeals to the Constitutional Court.”

Turgut remarked that they were prevented from taking samples from the file, adding; “The short answer given to our clients cites “Restrictions against convicts as per the Execution of Sentences and Security Measures Act”. Families of our clients had their appeals rejected. There is a three-month ban in question. We first applied to Bursa Enforcement Judgeship and appealed against the Disciplinary Board’s decision despite us not knowing the content. We also asked to be given a sample of the file. Bursa Enforcement Judgeship stated that time was over for Öcalan and the file had been finalised. For this reason, it was not possible for us to apply to the Constitutional Court for Öcalan. They tried to obstruct this by preventing us from taking samples from the file. We have appealed to the Constitutional Court for other clients of ours.”