Italy asked CPT to take its responsibility on isolation
A long list of signatures have been collected in an appeal against isolation addressed to the CPT and the European Union.
Among the signatures are those of Perugia University, Constitutional Law Professor Mauro Volpi, Constitutional Court President Paolo Maddalena, President of the Supreme Court Chamber Domenico Gallo, Öcalan's Italian lawyer Luigi Saraceni.
The European Union (EU) has called for the mandate of the Council of Europe (EC) bodies and the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture.
The declaration stated: "Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan has been held in prison in Turkey since February 1999. The conditions of isolation in the island of İmralı, where Öcalan has been jailed since his arrest, are in violation of the European Convention on the protection of human rights, and he is subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment.
According to the current legislation, Öcalan has the right to make phone calls with his family, to meet other prisoners on the island, as well as send and receive letters and faxes. These rights cannot be suspended. The right to watch TV, listen to radio, buy newspapers, magazines and books, or visit trusted doctors cannot be denied or restricted.”
The declaration reminded that HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven has been on a hunger strike since 7 November 2018 demanding to end isolation imposed on Öcalan. “The well-known leader, if freed, - said the declaration - could contribute to the solution of the Kurdish issue as well as the establishment of peace and democracy in the whole Middle East.”
The declaration also underlined how Kurdish political refugee Erol Aydemir has also been on hunger strike since 20 March. “So far, no government and no European institution has intervened directly and effectively to end the situation highlighted by the hunger strikers.”
The declaration ends with the following appeal: “We ask lawyers and people working for the protection of human rights, national governments, the EU and the EC bodies and in particular the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, to make all in their hands to ensure Öcalan is granted of his right. We ask to end isolation and to this end put pressure on Turkey in a determined way.
