On Thursday, for the seventh day in a row, deputies of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) attempted to march in Ankara from the Parliament to the Ministry of Justice to demand the lifting of the isolation of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. HDP MPs Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, Abdullah Koç, Kemal Peköz, Pero Dündar and Celadet Gaydalı were again stopped by police in front of the parliament building.

"ISOLATION IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY"

Speaking at the protest, HDP MP Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit said: "Since 15 February 1999, the prison on Imrali Island has been run under a special regime, there is absolute isolation against Mr. Abdullah Öcalan. We know that this isolation has been tightened again and again and at times no news has reached the outside. For more than 21 months, the public, his family and his lawyers have heard nothing from him. None of the requests for visitation have been granted. Every week, the family members and lawyers are unlawfully prevented from seeing him. Those who in the past claimed that the ferry was out of order or that the weather was too bad are now at the point where they don't even have to justify themselves. We are confronted with a government that is trying to ignore the situation and play for time. We do not accept this; isolation is a crime against humanity and, according to international agreements, a form of torture."

"EXECUTION IN INSTALMENTS"

Koçyiğit described the total isolation of Imrali as "execution in instalments" and continued: "Man is a social being. What distinguishes him from other living beings is his ability to think and his social relations. If you lock him up in one place, isolate him socially and cut him off from his relationships, you are carrying out a death sentence in instalments. What is happening on Imrali at the moment is an execution that is taking place over a longer period of time. We cannot speak of an aggravated life sentence because these sentences have set rules in the law of execution. Everyone has the right to meet with relatives and their legal counsel. The Constitution of this country defines absolute equality in this sense. Article 10 of the Constitution states that all people are equal before the law. If this is so, we ask: What kind of legal and judicial arrangement distinguishes Ömer Hayri Konar, Veysi Aktaş, Hamili Yıldırım and Abdullah Öcalan from other prisoners? The Ministry of Justice must tell this to the public. It is not in the interest of this country, it is not in the interest of the rights of the people in this country to cover up these events by ignoring and suppressing them."

"IT IS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE KURDISH PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLES OF TURKEY"

Koçyığıt also addressed the political dimension of isolation, saying: "This country has a 40-year history of conflict and a 100-year Kurdish question. If we want to open the door to peace and a solution to the Kurdish question, if we want to solve this problem with a just and dignified peace, the interlocutors for this are clear. The state must meet with its interlocutors as soon as possible and take steps to solve the problem. Neither the Kurdish question nor the isolation of Mr. Öcalan must be used for short-term political interests; this is about the right to life. It is about the future of the Kurdish people and the peoples of Turkey. We expect and demand that this issue be addressed completely detached from current political disputes within the framework of universal human values and the laws of this country."

"ALLOW VISITS TO MR ÖCALAN IMMEDIATELY"

The MP went on to say: "With our vigil, which is now entering its second week, we as HDP MPs are addressing the Ministry of Justice and the government. We do not accept this isolation. We do not accept that four political prisoners cannot be heard from or contacted in any way. Accepting this illegality means accepting that the rights of all citizens in this country can be robbed, that they can be subordinated to the interests of the government, that the rights of all of us can be abrogated. We will never accept this. We turn once again to the democratic public, to the main opposition party that promises to bring democracy to this country in its second century, to the Table of Six and to all who are politically active in this country, and ask: How do you evaluate and react to the fact that there has been no news from a prison in this country for almost 22 months? To what extent is this in accordance with the law, conscience, the constitution and morality? How do you intend to create democracy in Turkey in the second century of the republic if you turn a blind eye to this unlawfulness? Can a country be democratic if the rights of even a single citizen are suspended, if a single citizen is deprived of his democratic constitutional rights? For this reason, we demand an immediate meeting with Mr. Öcalan, as he is the most important actor and interlocutor in the solution of the Kurdish question. “

"OUR PROTEST CONTINUES"

We have submitted an application as HDP co-chairs, spokespersons, MPs and co-chairs of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP). Let us go to the island. Let us meet Mr. Öcalan! If not, let his lawyers and his family go there, and allay the concerns of the entire democratic public and the Kurdish people. Because there is great concern. We are seriously concerned, especially about Mr. Öcalan's right to life, and we are concerned about his health. Our concerns have been deepened by the fact that no meeting has taken place with the CPT. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ, the AKP government and all authorities are responsible for ensuring that these concerns of the Kurdish people are taken into account. As deputies before the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, we once again remind the AKP government and the Ministry of Justice of their responsibility. We do not accept this unlawful situation. Our vigil against this breach of law continues. We will continue our protest until a meeting with Mr. Öcalan takes place and this illegal situation is ended. We will never accept such illegal impositions on society."