ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A team of lawyers representing the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan says that they have filed 580 official requests asking for permission to meet him in prison since 2011, all in vain as the Turkish justice ministry did not allow such encounter.
“Since July 27th, 2011, we have sent 580 official papers to the justice ministry of the Turkish government so that we will be given permission to meet with Abdullah Ocalan in the Imrali prison,” the lawyers said in a statement this week.
They added that all of the requests were either rejected given various justifications, or they were ignored altogether.
“The isolation of Ocalan, and not allowing any meeting with him has no legal base, and the ban on him is a black spot on the face of the Turkish government,” their statement added.
The announcement comes as the supporters of the jailed leader are commemorating the 18th anniversary of the jailed leader, arrested on Feb. 15, 1999.
The lawyers have not met with 69-year-old Abdullah Ocalan since 2011. His brother Mohamad Ocalan was given permission to meet with him at Imrali Island Prison last September — the first visit allowed to the imprisoned leader in more than a year.
Speaking to reporters after the visit, Mohamad Ocalan said his brother called for peace from his prison, saying his side is taking the initiative which the Turkish government should follow.
“He sent his greetings to everyone,” Mohamad Ocalan said. “The isolation policy has been imposed on Abdullah Ocalan by the state. Everyone has to know it and understand it. If this country were a country with the rule of law, they should have given all the rights to Abdullah Ocalan in prison. But none of that was given to him, although they consider their country a democratic country,” he said.
Mohamad Ocalan said that Abdullah Ocalan also declared that the four-decade long war between Turkey and the PKK would not end with any real winners.
“This is a war that does not have winners or losers. This war has been going on for many years, about forty years,” Mohamad said, speaking on behalf of his brother.
The PKK has resumed attacks in Turkey since peace talks failed in 2013.
“If it is to be continued for another eighty years, it will have the same results. This has to end and peace has to prevail. This is our demand to the Turkish government. This should not be done unilaterally, but has to be from both sides. We are taking the initiative for peace; Turkey should follow suit, too,” Mohamad Ocalan said on behalf of his brother.
A delegation from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture was granted permission to visit Abdullah Ocalan on April 28 and 29 in 2016. The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) sent a delegation to visit on April 6, 2015.
Other Ocalan family members were last able to visit on October 6, 2014.
