Hunger strikers in Amed react to the CPT: Accomplice to torture

Participants of the hunger strike in Amed have reacted strongly to the CPT not visiting İmralı and said, “CPT is partner to unlawfulness instead of law; torture instead of human dignity in İmralı.”

“Amed Indefinite-Irreversible Hunger Strike Activists” issued a statement on the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) leaving Turkey without visiting Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

50 volunteers, who have been on a hunger strike for the last 4 days with the demand Öcalan be contacted immediately, reacted strongly to the CPT not visiting the İmralı island and conducting an inquiry and interviews.

The statement included “CPT is partner to the piracy of law in İmralı” and continued:

“The absolute isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan by the Turkish state for the last 18 years has evolved into a new process with the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Developments following July 15 and the news on İmralı have increased our concerns for Mr. Öcalan’s right to life, health and safety. We as 50 Kurdish politicians and intellectuals have started an indeterminate-irreversible hunger strike with the demand that Mr. Öcalan meet with his family, lawyers or a reliable independent committee within the confines of the law in İmralı island so our concerns regarding his safety can be removed. Thus, all developments on İmralı concern us directly.”

“PARTNER TO TORTURE, NOT HUMAN DIGNITY”

“One significant piece of news for us have been the results of the CPT’s week-long visit to Turkey. The CPT has conducted inquiries in several prisons since August 29, but has failed to visit İmralı island prison. With their latest Turkey visit, the CPT has confirmed once more their historic responsibility on the absolute isolation in İmralı. The CPT has become a partner in torture, when their duty is to prevent torture. A great part of the responsibility on the piracy of law in İmralı that has incrementally reached the level of threat to right to life for Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan in 18 years falls on the CPT. CPT is partner to unlawfulness instead of law, torture instead of human dignity on İmralı.

We continue in our belief that we those who come together around the Kurdish People’s Leader will build freedom, not the institutions that fail to step out of the sovereignty law and politics.