For 22 months, no news has reached the outside world from Imrali Island Prison, where Abdullah Öcalan is isolated. There is serious concern for the life of the Kurdish leader and his three fellow prisoners, Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş. This is why deputies of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) protest every day and repeatedly try to march to the Ministry of Justice in Ankara. On Wednesday, MPs Fatma Kurtulan, Murat Sarısaç, Abdullah Koç, Habip Eksik, Erdal Aydemir, Hüseyin Kaçmaz, Hasan Özgüneş, Erol Katırcıoğlu, Mahmut Toğrul, Celadet Gaydalı, Ayşe Sürücü, Nusrettin Maçin and Imam Taşçıer made their way to the Ministry of Justice with banners such as "The law must also apply in Imrali" and "Isolation is a crime against humanity". The MPs were stopped by the police, as in the days before.

"IF THE ISOLATION CONTINUES, THE PROBLEMS WILL INTENSIFY"

HDP MP Habip Eksik, referring to the total isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, said it was a major obstacle to the future of the peoples in the region. Underlining Öcalan's role for a peaceful and democratic Middle East, he said: "The isolation [on Imrali] is against the Turkish constitution, against international conventions and against the law. All the human and legal rights of Mr. Öcalan are usurped. He is not allowed to meet with his family, his lawyers or anyone else. Today, we know very well that the biggest obstacle to lifting this isolation are the forces that have implemented the international conspiracy and do not want peace to come to the Middle East and Turkey. We know very well that the government is acting as the beadle of these forces, and we call out to the peoples that this isolation must be lifted as soon as possible."

"ABDULLAH ÖCALAN MUST BE FREE"

Addressing the Ministry of Justice, Eksik said: "The system of isolation imposed on Mr. Öcalan in Imrali must be ended immediately. The Imrali isolation system is both inhumane and a method of torture. Mr Öcalan's deprived rights must be returned immediately. Measures must be taken for his physical freedom under the right to hope. The right to hope is the right of every human being and derives from universal human rights. It must be recognised within the framework of the right to physical freedom. From here, we appeal once again to the Ministry of Justice, which is the concrete perpetrator and implementer of this isolation; end this illegality, stop committing a crime. End the isolation in Imrali prison, let lawyers and family members meet with Abdullah Öcalan. Let the interlocutors meet to find a democratic solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey."