DİYARBAKIR - Suzan Akipa, one of the 775 signatory attorneys who stated that the isolation imposed on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan is unlawful, said that Öcalan is the key to social peace, and in this sense, meetings ust be ensured in İmralı.

 

No attorneys have met with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan since August  7, 2019, and with other prisoners Veysi Aktaş, Hamili Yıldırım and Ömer Hayri Konar since March 2015. 775 attorneys registered to 29 different bar associations applied to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in the past weeks against the ban on attorneys, which was put into effect through Öcalan.

 

However, the applications made on June 10 have not yet been answered. Suzan Akipa, the director of the ÖHD Diyarbakır Branch, who is a signatory to the ban on attorneys against Öcalan, spoke about the isolation in Imrali.

 

IMRALI PRISON IS ILLEGAL'

 

Defining İmralı Prison as "illegal prison", Akipa said that Özgür Faik Erol, one of the attorneys of the Asrın Law Office, previously used the words "Imralı's only connection with the law is that the law is suspended there. Akipa said: "I think this expression itself is an expression that expresses the truth on a very brief basis. Whatever we say about the Imrali Island prison, we should start by stating that it is illegal.”

 

‘EVEN THE WORD VIOLATION IS NOT ENOUGH TO DESCRIBE IMRALI'

 

Pointing out that the isolation imposed on Öcalan is against the principles of universal law, Akipa said: “In this sense, as expressed by women, young people, the democratic public, and all segments who believe in justice, freedom and peace and fight for it, these isolation policies applied in the person of Öcalan are a violation of universal law principles. But even the word violation is not enough to describe İmralı. There is no law in İmralı. It is important to start with this acceptance and to express it persistently every time.”

 

THE IMRALI PRISON IS A BLACK SITE

 

Pointing out that the Imrali prison was never acceptable in the scope of neither domestic nor universal law, with its physical and administrative structure, Akipa said: “This is where we need to start when we are speaking about İmralı. The construction of the Imrali Island Prison, the prison administration, the fact that Öcalan cannot be contacted by his family, legal guardian and attorneys in any way, the state of incommunicado, the fact that it is a banned zone from the air, land and water; makes it look like a black site."

 

'THE OPPRESSION IN TURKEY IS ORIGINATED FROM THE ISOLATION IN IMRALI'

 

Akipa said that illegal practices against Öcalan are not independent of Öcalan's political position. Pointing out that women, young people and a large part of society see PKK Leader Öcalan as a great power of democracy, with his power of thought, philosophy, Akipa said: “In this sense, all these illegal practices implemented in the person of Abdullah Öcalan are against the peoples in society. It is also applied to women, those who voice their democratic rights, and those who want justice and peace. All of these illegal practices applied in Imrali Island Prison should be considered as the reason of the crisis, the oppression in Turkey is originated from the isolation in İmralı.”

 

'PEOPLE DEMANDS THE INJUSTICE IN İMRALI TO END'

 

Noting that despite all this unlawfulness and oppression, the demands for justice, democracy and peace never cease, Akipa said: "The demands for the elimination of the unlawfulness in Imrali have increased. As ÖHD, we repeat these demands. Since Öcalan has not been allowed to meet with his attorneys for many years, together with 775 attorneys from 29 Bar Associations, we made an application to visit Öcalan. Doors of İmralı should be opened, social justice should be ensured. No positive or negative response has been given to us regarding our application so far.”

 

'ÖCALAN IS THE KEY OF PEACE'

 

Regarding the fact that they were not given any answer to their application, Akipa said: “Öcalan himself is in a key position for peace. Öcalan is a great peace actor in the eyes of large groups who believe in democracy and justice today. We believe who believes the democracy and peace should listen to all the demands and voices against this lawlessness imposed in Imrali. We want these demands to be met.”

 

 

MA / Eylem Akdağ