(IPPNW) asserts that isolation causes physical problems, holds European bodies responsible for Imrali status
The IPPNW representative explained that isolation caused physical problems and stressed that European and international human rights bodies, particularly the Committee against Torture and the European Court of Human Rights, were also responsible for the situation in Imrali.
Today, in Hasakeh, the Health Authority held a conference on the theme Isolation is the greatest threat to human health, a violation of the most basic right to life, and an Imrali island regime is a crime against humanity.
She added: We have experience with the depth of Abdullah Ocalan's presence among the Kurdish people and how they are trying to achieve their project for the Democratic Confederation, its model of an equal democratic society. Specifically, in Northern Kurdistan, we see how society has changed over the years, despite the harsh conditions experienced by Kurdish politicians. Many of the people we met have been forced to leave the country or are in prison.
They share a deep concern about the harsh conditions in Turkish prisons, particularly for Mr. Ocalan and the three other prisoners in Imrali. While isolation is practiced in prisons in most countries, and international human rights bodies do not have clear rules regarding it, it is considered white torture based on the duration of the isolation. She noted: 'Isolation means that the prisoner remains alone in his cell and has only a few hours to communicate with other prisoners. For four years, Imrali prisoners have been isolated from the outside world, meaning they are isolated and have no contact with their lawyers and family members. Therefore, for four years, we have no knowledge of their condition and health, no knowledge of whether they have access to books and the media, no understanding of their needs for social communication and sensory motivation. Without these, they will be diminished.'
“There has been some research on the impact of isolation on human health. It was primarily military research, later research related to space missions, and recently experiments during the Corona pandemic showed the damage that isolation can cause to mental and physical health. Sepp Greissner from the Center for the Treatment of Torture Victims in Berlin recalls the results of several studies, including: prolonged isolation leads to a decrease in the ability to think and hold on to ideas, to focus on solving complex tasks, in addition to poor memory, fear and panic attacks, as well as physical problems including “low blood pressure, low heart rate and slow breathing rate, headaches, decreased physical fitness, decreased sense of time, hallucinations, decreased sense of pain, and emotional confusion.” All of these effects can be verified through neurophysiological examinations and they last for a long time after the end of isolation, requiring psychological treatment from specialists.”
We do not know how the prisoners in Imrali were affected at the beginning of his imprisonment. Mr. Ocalan wrote numerous books that could be published and even translated into German. He could also send requests to the European Court of Human Rights regarding his ideas and ways to resolve the Kurdish issue. During the short period of peace talks from 2011 to 2015, he participated in negotiations between the Turkish Government and Kurdish parties, which were close to reaching an agreement. However, President Erdogan suddenly suspended these negotiations after the elections. Lawyers were often unable to visit Mr. Ocalan, and many were imprisoned. Following a long hunger strike by political prisoners, only a few visits were allowed in 2019. The last contact with Mr. Ocalan was in March 2021, when his brother visited him.
She stressed that European and international human rights bodies, particularly the Committee against Torture and the European Court of Human Rights, are responsible for the situation in Imrali. While these bodies openly criticize prison conditions in many other countries, their protest regarding Turkey is extremely weak and has no consequences. Their last visit to Imrali was in 2019, and the report has not been published.
The Kurdish-Turkish conflict is an open wound in the Middle East. It has been escalating in recent years. Erdogan and the Turkish government are attempting to resolve the Kurdish issue of war and violence by fighting the Kurds in Northern Kurdistan, northeastern Syria, and northern Iraq. Meanwhile, Turkey's so-called friends remain silent or even openly support Turkish policies, as exemplified by Germany's banning of the PKK as a terrorist organization.
The Kurdish people and many Turkish people are fed up of fighting. European states and NATO partners must try to convince the Turkish government that new peace talks with the Kurds and their leader Ocalan would improve living conditions for all in Turkey and the Middle East. They must also protect the Kurds who are forced to flee Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Iraq. Germany must stop criminalizing Kurds who engage in Kurdish politics.
The representative of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) confirmed their support for the campaign Freedom for Commander Abdullah Ocalan and the Resolution of the Kurdish Cause, of which we are a part.
T/ Satt.
ANHA
