The former Mayor of Copenhagen, Villo Sigurdsson, who supports the international campaign "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question", spoke to ANF. Sigurdsson said that the Turkish state has violated all international agreements in the matter of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is held in solitary confinement in Imrali Island Prison and has not been heard from since March 25, 2021. Describing the situation in İmralı as torture, Sigurdsson said, "They do not allow him to see his family and lawyers. This is clearly torture.”

Sigurdsson cited examples from Denmark and European Union countries regarding the length of prison terms for prisoners, saying: "In most European Union countries, the maximum prison sentence is 16 years. Mr. Öcalan has been held there for 25 years without the possibility to prove his innocence and to make some agreements with the government and authorities to stop this brutal war against the Kurds."

Double standards from NATO and EU

"Turkey wants to be a member of NATO and a member of the EU," Sigurdsson said, adding that Turkey is violating all international conventions and agreements it has signed by maintaining the isolation. They do not put pressure on the Turkish authorities to abide by international human rights rules. This is a kind of double standard."

Pressure should be put on the Turkish government

Recalling that he is part of the campaign "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question", Villo Sigurdsson said: "It is very good to be part of the campaign. I have participated in some of the sessions of the campaign, and I think we should try to continue the campaign and use international judges and international authorities to support Öcalan's freedom. This cannot continue because it is against all international rules. We must put pressure on the Turkish government to release Mr. Öcalan."