Jurists: What happening against Ocalan is contrary to international laws

Lawyers and jurists in al-Shahba canton said that Ocalan's arrest by the Turkish authorities and the violations practiced against him are contrary to all international laws, as they confirmed that he is a struggling person who has reached the stage of armed struggle.

15 August, 2020 23:14

AL-SHAHBA -LINDA SHEIKH

Yesterday, the attorneys of the leader Abdullah Ocalan submitted a request to the Turkish Public Prosecution in the city of Bursa to allow them to meet with their client, but the prosecution refused the request, amidst the Turkish authorities' tightening of the isolation imposed on the leader, which creates reactions against Turkey's policy.

Despite the European Committee against Torture (CPT) visited Imrali prison last week which clarified in its report information confirming Turkish violations of international laws against all prisoners of conscience, the European Commission has not fulfilled its duties to stop these violations and the isolation imposed on detainees.

Ocalan is a struggling person who has reached the stage of armed struggle

In this context, the human rights and political activist Alaeddin Kalo pointed out that the leader Abdullah Ocalan from the international point of view is a struggling person who has reached the stage of armed struggle, and this is a project for all struggling peoples, but the characteristic of terrorism attached to him is for political considerations and international interests, and no decision issued by the Head of the Security Council or international human rights organizations.

Kalo continued saying: "The arrest of the leader is arbitrary and violates all international and regional decisions, norms, and treaties, and I can call it that it is not an arrest, as there was international complicity and he was kidnapped, and the difference is large between kidnapping and arrest, as he was kidnapped from another country (Nairobi), in which several intelligence and political countries participated on February 15, 1999."

Kalo noted: "When the commander was in Italy and on its territory prior to his kidnapping, he applied for political asylum, and after confirming the request in the Court of Rome in Italy, it was approved after months of his existing in Imrali prison, and this denies him the terrorist status, he is considered a struggler, and the Italian government can intervene and pursue the illegal measures imposed by the Turkish government."

Violations of the Turkish authorities against detainees in Imrali prison

On the Turkish authorities' violations of international laws, Kalo continued: "This treatment in all respects contravenes the United Nations General Assembly resolution issued in 1999, which includes the basic principles for the treatment of prisoners."

It also contravenes the instructions and directives of Amnesty International for 1961, and the articles of the International Institute for Civil and Political Rights for 1966. All these organizations and institutes, according to local, regional and international rights, the Security Council resolution, and Islamic and Arab organizations around the world stipulate that prisoners and detainees have rights; the right to visits, the right to education, the right to knowledge and education, the right to communication (meeting with lawyers); they are all legitimate rights.

Countries have interests and gains

In his speech, he added that countries seek to achieve interests and gains at the expense of morality and humanity, everyone is involved in the arrest of the leader Abdullah Ocalan; Russia, Greece, Nairobi, Israel, America, and their interests overwhelm the freedom and dignity of people and the freedom of struggling peoples."

Kalo condemned the silence of the World Health Organization in general, especially in the spread of the Corona virus pandemic saying: "We find that there is a failure by the Health Organization, as it did not send a health medical team to confirm the health status of the leader Abdullah Ocalan and the political detainees in Turkey.

For his part, the Lawyer Lazgin Ahmed pointed out that the Turkish state that claims democracy is the first country to follow dictatorship, and this was demonstrated with its citizens, such as the arrest of journalists and every opinion that contradicts the Turkish centralism, as it is a state of one color, flag and language and imposes imprisonment or exile on those who violate its opinion.

The Committee against Torture did not fulfill its duty towards Imrali detainees

Ahmed said: "Although the Committee against Torture visited the prison and issued its report, it did not take any positive steps to curb the actions of the Turkish authorities and end the isolation."

In its report, the CPT expressed its regret at the almost complete absence of family visits in recent years for Ocalan, as well as the refusal of requests for visits from his lawyer since 2019.

Ahmed concluded his speech by saying that every detainee has the right to meet with his lawyer, but the Turkish authorities forbid that. The lawyer has the right to meet and defend his client, and it is a sacred right in all international laws.

D.H

ANHA