Lawyer calls for activating Leader Abdullah Ocalan's "right to hope"

On March 18, 2014, the European Court of Human Rights issued a ruling stating that the aggravated life imprisonment without the possibility of parole imposed on Leader Abdullah Ocalan constitutes a violation of Article (3) of the European Convention on Human Rights. However, despite the passage of more than ten years since this decision, the Turkish state has not taken any steps to implement it.

In this context, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, at its meeting held between September 17 and 19 of last year, granted Turkey a one-year deadline (September 2025) to reconsider the issue of the "right to hope."

"The Right to Hope": A Legal Right According to International Standards

Lawyer Mohammed Amin al-Naimi, co-chair of the Syrian Lawyers' Initiative for the Defense of Leader Abdullah Ocalan, emphasized that the "right to hope" is a legitimate and fundamental right under international laws and standards. According to Turkish law, the life sentence should be commuted to a shorter term, which previously reduced the life sentence from 25 years to 23 years.

Al-Naimi pointed out that the leader has deserved this right for years, but the Turkish state has resorted to imposing disciplinary sanctions against him before he has completed 23 years of his imprisonment, with the aim of depriving him of this right.

Al-Naimi accused the Turkish state of using disciplinary sanctions as a pretext for violating international law, emphasizing that these practices do not target Leader Abdullah Ocalan alone, but include thousands of detainees whose families and lawyers are prevented from communicating with them.

He also noted that the Turkish authorities have not disclosed any information about the leader's condition since March 25, 2021, until his last meeting with his nephew. He described this as a "crime against humanity" under Article (7) of the Rome Statute, which requires the Turkish state and its officials to be held accountable before international courts.

Al-Naimi praised the stance of Leader Abdullah Ocalan, describing him as a "peacemaker," as he has repeatedly called for peace with Turkey. However, the Turkish authorities have repeatedly violated these agreements, despite his peace initiatives finding global resonance.

He pointed out that a global campaign has been ongoing since October 10, 2023, led by various peoples to achieve the physical freedom of Leader Abdullah Ocalan and find a political solution to the Kurdish issue.

An International Legal Struggle to Grant the "Right to Hope"

Since 2019, several initiatives, including the Syrian Initiative for the Freedom of Leader Abdullah Ocalan and the Syrian Lawyers' Initiative for His Defense, have been waging a political and legal struggle to support his cause.

Al-Naimi noted that 1,500 Syrian lawyers from 14 provinces sent a letter to the Turkish Ministry of Justice demanding an end to the violations and granting the leader the right to communicate with his lawyers and family, in addition to implementing the "right to hope."

He also confirmed that there is almost daily communication with international human rights organizations, with preparations underway to hold numerous events in the context of the struggle for the leader's physical freedom. He noted that international human rights organizations have expressed their dismay at the violations against the leader, who is a defender of the rights of oppressed peoples.

Aspirations for 2025

Al-Naimi concluded his remarks by expressing his hope that 2025 will be a year of peace and that Leader Abdullah Ocalan will soon be released. He anticipated important decisions as a result of the ongoing struggle waged by the Kurdish people and their friends around the world. He renewed his call to grant the leader the "right to hope," especially since he is over 75 years old and has spent 26 years in prison.

T/S

ANHA