Writers, intellectuals and lawyers from Eastern and Southern Kurdistan protested the isolation imposed upon the Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan and stated that Turkey is committing a crime in the legal and humane sense.

KERİMİ: ISOLATION OF ÖCALAN A MATTER OF HUMANITY

Writer Ali Kerimi: Öcalan’s health and the isolation imposed upon him has surpassed the political and national issue and has transformed into a matter of humanity.

Mr. Öcalan has been held in a solitary dungeon for 20 years. For the last two years, he hasn’t been allowed to see anybody. If the Kurds had a sense of national belonging, by now they would be out on the streets shouting in protest throughout the world and in Kurdistan. We would ask the AKP and the Turkish state why they have such a reaction, fury and animosity against the Kurdish people in the person of Mr. Öcalan.

Erdoğan spews poison and wrath against the Kurds in the person of Mr. Öcalan.

We as Kurdish individuals, political parties and intellectuals haven’t fulfilled our duty against this approach. We haven’t acted responsibly. All things aside, this has turned into a humane issue now. Right now, faced with this situation, we should have shaken the world, screaming “where is this man, where is our leader?” We have to raise hell and ask, “Where is this man, how is his health, why do you keep him in isolation?”

Now there are news on social media about Öcalan’s health. We have been irresponsible and lacking in facing this situation.

Of course the Kurdish political parties have been lacking too. Especially the parties in Southern and Eastern Kurdistan are acting out the three monkeys in this issue.

Whatever we do for this great person who has become a symbol in his efforts, struggle and creations, it won’t be enough.

Let’s not let Erdoğan sleep soundly in his thousand room palace while this great man lives in the dungeon under isolation.

FEREC: ÖCALAN SHOULD BE FREE AMONG US NOW

Writer Latif Ferec: Because Mr. Öcalan exposed Erdoğan’s hypocrisy to the region and to the world, the isolation imposed upon him has been intensified. The Turkish state should know that if they think of having something happen to Reber Apo, they will cause the birth of a thousand Apo’s.

In recent years, I visited Van and Hasankeyf. When I was walking around the citadel in Van, a little boy came to me and said, “Do you want me to sing you a song?” Then he sang a guerrilla song. I asked him whether he was in school. He said he didn’t, because of Turkey. I asked what he planned to do instead, and he said, “When I grow up, I’m going to take to the mountains and be a guerilla.” The Turkish state and Erdoğan should understand this message well. Turkey is now playing with fire. Serok Apo can’t be in Qandil, or the dungeons right now. Serok Apo should have been in Amed now. And that can happen through our struggle now.

If Serok Apo was in Amed, there would be no enmity left among peoples. The peoples would no longer have any identity, culture or freedom issues. If anything happens to Serok Apo, they should know that we will bring the world down on them.

HACİ: TURKEY IS COMMITTING A CRIME

Lawyer and human rights defender Aram Haci: With these practices, Turkey is trampling the laws recognised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and committing a crime.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is separated in three sections: the societal, the individual and the political rights.

When we look at Reber Apo’s case, we can see clearly that all three categories have been violated. The isolation is far removed from, goes against and violates any tradition, custom, and humane and legal bases.

According to international law, every prisoner has the right to appeal, meet with their lawyers and meet with their families. Every prisoner has a right to explain their situation and defend themselves, and to receive information about themselves and public life. Right now, all these legally recognised rights have been taken away, in an unlawful way.

He has been banned from meeting with his lawyers and family. All his ties to the outside world have been severed. His right to defend himself as recognised by international law has also been taken away. Even his right to send and receive letters has been taken away. These acts by the Turkish state are all legally criminal. They are practices of wild, dictatorial periods. This is a crime committed not only in Turkey’s laws, but in international law as well.