For over two years, there has been no news from the Kurdish people's leader, Abdullah Öcalan, who has been subjected to absolute isolation on the prison island of Imrali in Turkey. Lawyers are requesting to meet with Abdullah Öcalan twice a week. However, applications for visits are systematically left unanswered. In some cases, months later, lawyers are informed that disciplinary action has been taken against the Kurdish people's leader and therefore no visit can be granted.

The “incommunicado” detention continues without interruption despite lawyers’ weekly applications to the authorities in which they request for the families and lawyers to be allowed to visit the prison. From 25 March 2021, the last date of contact with Imrali, until the end of 2022, a total of 238 applications for lawyer visits and another 79 applications for family/guardian visits were made. These applications were left without any response. Likewise, lawyers did not receive any letters, telegrams, or faxes from their clients during this period; nor was there any contact via phone.

Until 2011, Öcalan’s right to see his lawyers was limited to one hour one day a week, but in fact, he was constantly prevented from availing himself of this limited right, with the authorities alleging the pretext of “adverse weather conditions” or a “technical defect” of the coaster going to the island. In the twelve years since 27 July 2011, he has only been able to see his lawyer five times, between May and August 2019. The last of these five meetings took place on 7 August 2019.

Concerns over the situation of the Kurdish people's leader increased after the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) visited Turkey on September 20-29, 2022. In a statement on 3 October, the CPT announced that Imralı F Type High Security Prison was among the institutions it visited.

However, Asrın Law Office reported that during the CPT visit, there was no meeting with Abdullah Öcalan, and that this increased their concerns. Asrın Law Office said on 29 November: “We have heard that Mr. Öcalan did not see the CPT delegation during its visit to Imrali Island in September 2022.”

The European Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress released a statement calling attention to the unanswered demand of the Kurdish people, democratic forces and the public opinion to receive information about the health and safety of Öcalan, and calling for enhanced struggle until clear information is provided about his condition.

KCDK-E pointed out that the attitude of the genocidal Turkish state increases the concerns of the Kurdish people and their friends who want to be informed immediately about the health and safety conditions of Öcalan.

In a most recent interview with Sterk TV, KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council Member Sabri Ok stated that the Turkish state and Imrali Prison administration handed threatening letters to Abdullah Öcalan. According to Ok, these letters without a name and address contained threats of death and poisoning.

Referring to the remarks of KCK executive member Ok, KCDK-E noted that Öcalan was subjected to pressure, threats and daily torture at the hands of the fascist Turkish state.

“The threats and aggravated isolation imposed on Leader Öcalan turned into a genocide directed against the Kurdish people and democratic forces. The approach towards Öcalan is an approach towards the Kurdish people as a whole. For this reason, it would be a great delusion to consider this isolation as directed against Leader Öcalan alone,” said the KCDK-E.

The statement continued: “The isolation of Leader Öcalan should be seen as aimed at the Kurdish people and the struggle must be enhanced on this basis. We must decisively break the wave of genocidal aggression against our will and future. It goes without doubt that an ordinary approach will deepen the genocide against the Kurdish people. Under the conditions of such heavy isolation, Leader Öcalan bears historic responsibility and wages a great struggle.”

The KCDK-E statement includes the following appeals:

“Gravely worried about the life and health of Leader Öcalan, we call upon the Council of Europe, the CPT (Committee for the Prevention of Torture) and international bodies to take action.

As the KCDK-E, we call upon our people in Europe, as well as all the revolutionary, democratic and intellectual circles to raise their reactions, to warn the international institutions and to take to the streets.

Let our resistance form a circle around Leader Öcalan and let us take to the streets for his freedom.”