On July 26th, 69 Nobel laureates sent a letter to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, and the United Nations Human Rights Committee; urging them to fulfill their obligations to protect the rights of leader Abdullah Ocalan.
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights responded to the letter written by Professor Dr. Kariane Westrheim from the University of Bergen, on behalf of 69 Nobel Prize laureates.
Professor Dr. Kariane Westrheim spoke to ANHA's agency about the response from the European Court of Human Rights and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to her letter.
"The response is considered positive regardless of being brief and unclear."
Professor Dr. Kariane Westrheim described the European Court of Human Rights' response to her letter as "very limited progress." She stated, "The response from the European Court of Human Rights came in the name of the head but through a registrar, which is considered positive despite being brief and unclear. It is evident that they received the main message of the file we sent, which is to provide suitable conditions for Mr. Abdullah Ocalan and ensure his physical freedom. Their response concludes with thanks for the information and for presenting the views of Nobel laureates; beyond that, there are no promises. Their response is very limited progress."
Dr. Kariane Westrheim commented on the detailed response sent by Consul Andrius Kreivas on behalf of Lithuanian Foreign Minister and Chair of the Council of Europe Ministers' Committee Gabrielius Landsbergis on August 26, saying: "This message is more promising, as they have sent it to the relevant parties in the Council of Europe."
"We expect that they can put pressure on Turkey."
Kariane Westrheim clarified that the European Court of Human Rights cannot send a delegation to Imralı on its own initiative, but it can refer the case to other institutions within the Council of Europe. She stated, "Turkey is a member state, and we believe that the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and other responsible institutions in the Council of Europe can pressure Turkey to allow a delegation to be sent. The more pressure there is on Turkey, the greater the impact."
"The silence of the European Committee Against Torture raises concern."
Kariane Westrheim described the lack of response from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture to the letter from Nobel laureates as a "grave mistake," stating: "We are still awaiting a response, as this raises concerns . The mission of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture is to investigate the conditions of detainees in prisons, both in terms of torture and prison conditions. Mr. Ocalan is subjected to psychological and physical torture and mistreatment. I believe that if any country other than Turkey were to impose life sentences, we would see Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other human rights organizations opposing it loudly. However, this does not apply to Mr. Ocalan's situation, which raises doubts about the sincerity, seriousness, and reliability of major international institutions and organizations that claim to protect and promote human rights."
"They publicly disavow their principles."
Kariane Westrheim mentioned that these initiatives and responses to messages are not sufficient in any way, and she pointed out the institutions' abandonment of their principles. She continued her remarks by saying: "We are talking about the Council of Europe, which is one of the strongest political institutions in the world and is responsible for monitoring 46 member states. Therefore, their failure to act is a violation of the sovereignty of the Council of Europe, and their stance on Abdullah Ocalan, who is sentenced to life imprisonment, indicates that the Council of Europe is renouncing its values and principles."
"They should be reminded constantly."
Kariane Westrheim pointed out that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe must fulfill its promises, and that the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture should send a delegation to Imrali and provide ongoing reminders to reveal the conditions there. She stated, "Each one of us should participate in actions that would mobilize political institutions and compel them to act."
"Sure of the light at the end of the tunnel."
"Sure that the light will appear somewhere in the tunnel," with these words, Kariane Westrheim highlighted the need to exert more pressure on Turkey. She concluded her remarks by saying: "There are many good initiatives to release Mr. Abdullah Ocalan, but he is still being held under severe isolation. Unfortunately, the authorities show no interest in listening to the numerous calls to start negotiations with the Kurdistan Workers' Party and to initiate a reconciliation process with the Kurds. Unless pressure is applied to Erdogan and his government to a significant extent, these initiatives, no matter how good they are, will only yield limited results. There is a strong possibility that people will continue this pressure, but it must be done politically, especially by the European Union and its bodies, NATO, and the United Nations."
T/ Satt.
ANHA
