ANKARA - DEM Party Parliamentary Group called an emergency meeting of the Convict and Prisoner Rights Investigation Sub-Commission of the Parliamentary Human Rights Investigation Commission to visit PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

 

People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) MPs requested the Convict and Prisoner Rights Investigation Sub-Commission of the Parliamentary Human Rights Investigation Commission (İHİK) to visit PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held under heavy isolation in the Type F High Security Closed Prison on İmralı Island and has not been heard from his family and lawyers for 33 months. 

 

In the statement regarding the application: "Our deputies called an urgent meeting of the  Convict and Prisoner Rights Investigation Sub-Commission of the Parliamentary Human Rights Investigation Commission to visit İmralı Island to end the practice of torture as a requirement of the law, acts, judicial decisions and protection of human values."

 

'DECISIONS ARE REMINDED'

 

In the application petition, attention was drawn to the application made by DEM Party MPs to the İHİK on November 16 and the response given on December 7 that İmralı Prison could be visited if the Sub-Commission deemed it appropriate: "Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) described the state of not being able to hear from anyone in İmralı Island Prison as 'incommunicado', meaning absolute lack of communication. CPT has recorded that the system imposed to Mr. Öcalan on İmralı Island is torture. In addition, the United Nations Human Rights Committee decided to end the 'incommunicado' detention on September 6, 2022 and provide the applicants with immediate and unrestricted access to a lawyer of their choice; however, the requirements of this decision taken by the United Nations Human Rights Committee have not been fulfilled and no steps have been taken to eliminate the state of absolute lack of communication."

 

'VISIT TO IMRALİ SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY 

 

In the application, it was stated that isolation is torture and that torture is against the Constitution and international agreements and it was underlined that the Sub-commission had a duty and responsibility to put an end to this torture. The following statements were included in the application: "As a requirement of the law, acts and the protection of human values through judicial decisions, the Sub-Commission must take immediate action and organize a visit to İmralı Prison in order to put an end to the practice of torture. Failure to fulfill this obligation will indicate that the commission does not protect human rights and will become the protector and maintainer of the torture system. It is necessary to remind the Commission of its legal responsibility and to request an urgent meeting of the Convict and Prisoner Rights Investigation Sub-Commission in order to take necessary action immediately."