Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP Ömer Öcalan said that a major political, legal and social struggle is being carried out to break the isolation of the Kurdish leader in the Imrali prison. “We are doing politics to resolve this issue through democratic means and methods with Öcalan being the chief negotiator,” he added.

HDP deputy Ömer Öcalan spoke to ANF on the anniversary of the October 9, 1998 international conspiracy against the Kurdish leader, Abdullah Öcalan.

The deputy remarked that Kurdish leader Öcalan put up outstanding resistance against the international conspiracy and frustrated it to a significant extent. “The aim of the conspiracy was to cause trouble in the Middle East, Kurdistan and Turkey. However, the international powers involved in the conspiracy failed to do so. Abdullah Öcalan is an influential political actor in the Middle East. His honourable resistance inspires the Kurdish people. Since 2015, the Turkish government has been encouraged to complete the international conspiracy,” he said.

STRUGGLE AGAINST ISOLATION

“The Ministry of Justice and the Minister of Justice are responsible for what happened during their term of office. They will be held accountable for the injustice and unlawfulness in the country. Also, Erdogan’s palace has a hand in promoting the isolation against Öcalan. The ministry and Erdogan administration are responsible for the maltreatment of Abdullah Öcalan and his fellow prisoners in İmralı,” the lawmaker noted.

THE CPT SHOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT IMRALI

Öcalan pointed out that the last visit of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) was important, yet, criticizing the release of its report about the situation a year later. “The agenda in Turkey changes in a very short time, one cannot predict what will happen in Turkey in three days. Therefore, the CPT statement that ‘we will disclose our observations and data regarding our visit one year later with Turkey's permission’ is not acceptable to the Kurdish people. Turkey should not pose an obstacle to the CPT's examinations. If it does, it means that there are some problems. Nobody expects favours or privileges from the Turkish government. Öcalan's position is unique in terms of political representation for the Kurds and for the peoples of the Middle East. His fundamental rights have been violated as part of a hostile policy against him. The CPT should report about Turkey’s arbitrary deprivation of Öcalan’s rights in prison.”

WE URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION SERIOUSLY

The HDP deputy recalled that no news has been received from the Kurdish leader and fellow prisoners for the last 19 months: “His philosophy, political ideas and paradigm are debated in public and even the President talks about him, yet he has no right to have a say. We urge the government to take care of the situation seriously. We demand regular visits to him to take place. His lawyers should be allowed to visit him and report on his situation on a regular basis. These are legal demands. We are doing politics to resolve this issue through democratic means and methods with Öcalan being the chief negotiator. Our struggle will continue. We will be in Istanbul on October 9, which will mark the 24th anniversary of the international conspiracy. We will condemn this conspiracy.”