Lawyer: If the leader is granted right to hope, all problems will be solved

Mahmoud Khalo, a member of the Jazira Canton Lawyers Union, spoke to ANHA's agency about the right to hope, the isolation imposed on leader Abdullah Ocalan, and the Turkish state's failure to take any steps regarding this issue so far.

Mahmoud Khalo pointed out that the right to hope is a right that gives those sentenced to life imprisonment hope that they will regain their freedom. He said, "All those sentenced to life imprisonment have the right to benefit from this right, just as all detainees have the right to meet with their families and lawyers once a week. They also have the right to read the news and communicate with their surroundings. However, the Turkish state does not implement this, despite warnings from European institutions."

Khallo also referred to the appeal of leader Abdullah Ocalan and the steps taken by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), saying, "Leader Abdullah Ocalan and the PKK have taken practical steps, but the Turkish state and its parliament are not taking any steps. If the right to hope is granted and the solation is lifted, peace will prevail and all problems will be solved."

Khalo emphasized that the leader's struggle and resistance all these years were not solely for his own benefit, adding, "The leader must meet with politicians because he resisted and fought for a free and democratic society and a solution to the Kurdish issue. We have faith, trust, and great hope in the leader that he will bring about change and achieve peace."

On October 1st of last year, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party in Turkey, Devlet Bahçeli, called on leader Abdullah Ocalan from the Turkish Parliament, saying that if the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were dissolved, the door to the right to hope would be wide open. Accordingly, leader Abdullah Ocalan called on the PKK on February 27th of this year to hold its congress and dissolve itself. In response to the leader's call, the PKK announced a unilateral ceasefire on March 1st of this year, and held its twelfth congress between May 5th and 7th of this year, and decided to dissolve itself. On August 5th of this year, the "Committee for National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy" was formed in the Turkish Parliament to resolve the Kurdish issue and democratize Turkey. The committee has met 17 times so far, but the Turkish state has not taken any step regarding the issue of the right to hope so far, nor has it officially included it on the committee's agenda.

ANHA