A conference titled "Political Prisoners in the World and in Turkey" is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland as part of the "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question" campaign that was launched globally on October 10. Experts in their fields are participating in the conference at the Uni Mail campus of the University of Geneva as speakers.

Şakar: International forces built the Imrali system

Mahmut Şakar, one of Abdullah Öcalan's lawyers, made a presentation in the third session of the conference, highlighting the construction of the Imrali prison system, the captivity of Abdullah Öcalan and how the International Conspiracy developed, and the role of international forces in the conspiracy.

Stating that the Imrali prison system was implemented while the International Conspiracy was still ongoing, Şakar said: “The Imrali system was established while Abdullah Öcalan was still in Kenya. In this sense, Abdullah Öcalan is a prisoner of international forces and the international conspiracy, not of Turkey."

Noting that Europe and the Council of Europe had a direct role in the construction of the Imrali system, Şakar said: “European officials visited Imrali before we even saw our client. This clearly shows us how the Imrali system was built and how it was established. We can say that the forces that built Imrali and the forces that carried out the conspiracy are the same."

Şakar said that the isolation implemented in Imrali was due to the ideas defended by Abdullah Öcalan and his being the leader of the Kurdish people, and added: “Therefore, we can say that both the International Conspiracy and the Imrali system are a model developed against the Kurdish people in the person of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan. What was deemed appropriate against the Kurdish people in the person of Mr. Öcalan was 25 years of isolation. This is also the reason for the unceasing anger of the Kurdish people against the isolation that has lasted for 25 years. In this sense, if the isolation is not overcome, these harsh policies against the Kurdish people will continue."

Raziye Öztürk: Imrali isolation spread all over Turkey

Raziye Öztürk, one of the lawyers of Asrın Office, said: “The system built on lawlessness in Imrali began to spread over the whole of society day by day. Today we can see and feel the impact of the isolation in Imrali everywhere in Turkey."

Olivier Peter, a lawyer of the Geneva Bar Association, said: “I was a child in 1999, and I met Öcalan for the first time with the news of his capture. It was a shameful situation for international powers. The Imrali system is the mirror of the Turkish state. Unless Imrali regains its fundamental rights, there will never be democracy and human rights in Turkey. I say this as a lawyer. International law should be applied in Imrali and Abdullah Öcalan should be free."