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A group of representatives from various European countries, including Catalonia Montserrat vignettes (CUP), traveled to Turkey to denounce the position of the head of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdul Isa OcalanImprisoned since 1999 in solitary confinement. At the invitation of the pro-Kurdish People's Party for Equality and Democracy, they also participated in the mission. Lorena Lopez de Lacalle (European Free Alliance) Jessica Karlqvist (Swedish Left Party), Heggie by Nyholt (Norwegian Red Party), Ségolène Amyot (Invincible France) i.e Abhishek Mishra (Samajwadi Party of India).
25 years after the kidnapping of the Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, representatives of several parties from… #Spain #Catalan #sun #France #Norway & #Sweden They participate in an international delegation: “Freedom for political prisoners – the political solution to the Kurdish issue… pic.twitter.com/tlcCaV0CcP
– DEM Europe Party (@DEM_Europe) February 20, 2024
Twenty-five years of solitary confinement
Twenty-five years ago, in February 1999, Ocalan was kidnapped in Nairobi by Turkish intelligence, which tried for many years to extradite him to the country to no avail. There was the Kurdish leader Sentenced to death for every betrayal I SeparatismOne penalty kick that can be substituted Life sentence After the death penalty was abolished in Türkiye in 2004.
Since his arrest in 1999, the Kurdish leader has been detained in a high-security prison on Imrali Island. During the first ten years of his detention, Öcalan was the only prisoner on the island, from which the Turkish government evacuated prisoners after his arrest. After a decade Solitary confinementThe Turkish government built a new prison on the island upon request Committee for the Prevention of Torture Subordinate Council of EuropeFive prisoners were transferred there.
However, Ocalan remains subject to solitary confinement for 23 hours a day during the week, and all day on weekends. This is what they reported Lawyers The Kurdish leader, who met with the delegation this morning and presented to the members a report on… Rights violations From the prisoner
At the same time, they claim that the Turkish government is systematically preventing them from visiting it using all kinds of pretexts, including the weather. “Since July 27, 2011, [Öcalan] The text stated that he was only able to meet his lawyer on five occasions. In this regard, the lawyers add that they have not been able to contact them since then March 2021When the last call with the prisoner was suddenly cut off.
“It is an unbearable situation”
“It is an unbearable situation. It has been more than three years since Ocalan has communicated with anyone,” Venetis explained to VilaWeb. The representative referred in particular to the inaction of European institutions in the Ocalan case, explaining that Committee for the Prevention of Torture He wrote several reports about the prisoner, which he never published. “The European institutions turned their backs on Ocalan’s case, and when they did not issue any rulings It does not guarantee compliance“, Confirms.
In this sense, Venets depicts Öcalan's position in the Turkish government's repression against the Kurdish people. He says: “Ocalan's struggle is the struggle of the Kurdish people.” “The terrorism laws that were passed to fight ISIS are now being applied against friends and family who send money to Kurdish political prisoners,” he continues. He stresses: “The mission is another way to denounce human rights violations against the Kurds and to make Europe stop looking the other way.” And he is the subject of that It must be put on the agenda“.
Two days of activities
Following the morning meeting, the mission met this afternoon with representatives of several NGOs active in Turkey to discuss the repression against the Kurdish people. They also met DEM management and had dinner with them Golestan Kilic KossigitSpokesman for the formation in the Turkish Parliament.
Today was the first of two days that the visit would continue. Tomorrow, the delegation will visit the Turkish Mothers of Revenge gathering and will present at a press conference at noon Visit conclusions. After this conference, the representatives will conclude the visit with dinner and return to their countries.
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