Lawyer Franco Danieli, who is a supporter of the international campaign launched to demand "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question", told ANF that the campaign should be expanded further.

Franco Danieli, who served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy in the governments headed by Massimo D'Alema in 1998-2000 and Romano Prodi in 2006-2008, protested the aggravated isolation imposed by the Turkish state on Abdullah Öcalan and called for action to achieve his freedom.

Danieli underlined that the aggravated isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan is a violation of international humanitarian law and added: "Turkey's actions are determined by the international law of the Council of Europe and the United Nations, which is the basis of all democratic societies in the world and under which it is a signatory. It must accept democratic standards. Turkey does not accept these basic democratic principles, such as individual freedoms or the inalienable rights of every individual. As in the case of Abdullah Öcalan, Turkey does not comply with many international agreements to which it is a signatory."

Öcalan cannot continue to stay in prison

Danieli said: "The conditions in Imralı Prison, where Abdullah Öcalan is detained, are terrible. I believe it is time for Abdullah Öcalan to be released from prison and regain his freedom."

EU is silent about isolation

Emphasizing that Europe shares responsibility for the isolation conditions imposed on the Kurdish people’s leader, as it was for his capture, Danieli said: “There is always a conflict between human rights and national interests. This situation has always been at the basis of relations between states. Relations of interest between states make many human rights violations in those countries invisible. Today, the European Union is providing funds to Erdogan to prevent refugees from coming to Europe. However, it ignores the human rights violations taking place in Turkey. The silence regarding the conditions of Abdullah Öcalan stems from these relations between the EU and Turkey."

Freedom campaign must grow

Danieli expressed his support for the "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a political solution to the Kurdish question" and said that this campaign should be further expanded. "Very important intellectuals, including Noam Chomsky, have been working for years to make it possible for Abdullah Öcalan to regain his freedom. We support this campaign. Now is the time for Abdullah Öcalan to be free. For this reason, I believe that voices from all over the world must be raised for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan."