İSTANBUL - İbrahim Bilmez, one of the lawyers of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, emphasized that if the solidarity demonstrated during the year continues, the isolation will be overcome in 2023.

 

There has been no news for more than 21 months from PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and prisoners Hamili Yıldırım, Veysi Aktaş and Ömer Hayri Konar, who are being held under heavy isolation conditions in İmralı Type F High Security Prison. Acting as Öcalan's lawyer, Asrın Law Office last met with its clients on August 7, 2019. Öcalan held a phone call with his family on March 25, 2021, on public concerns about his health and safety. After 4 and a half minutes of intermittent phone calls, applications for an interview for Öcalan are not answered.

 

İbrahim Bilmez, one of the lawyers of Asrın Law Office, evaluated the aggravated isolation against his clients.

 

IMRALI SYSTEM

 

Stating that İmralı Prison is a "special system" designed right after the international conspiracy against Öcalan, Attorney Bilmez said: "Imrali is an isolation system in which international actors also play a role. Unfortunately, this system is at the worst possible point.  Neither we lawyers nor non-governmental organizations can go or get news. What is the health status of our clients? Are they ill? Do they have a need? We don't know at all. Beyond that, there are situations where we need to offer legal assistance. We cannot fulfill them. There is such a system."

 

ISOLATION AND THE KURDISH QUESTION

 

Noting that the continuation of the isolation is related to the Kurdish Question, Bilmez said: "When the isolation is implemented, security policies come into play in the Kurdish Question. The two are interrelated. People lose their lives because of these policies. Civilians, police, military and guerrillas lose their lives. This is the process we live in today. Demonstrations are taking place for Öcalan in many parts of the world, especially in the Middle East, and this shows that Öcalan is an important actor. Just as Mr. Öcalan has been resisting the peaceful and democratic problem of the Kurdish question for 23 years under those isolation conditions, the Kurdish people also support Mr. Öcalan. It shows how much the Kurdish people and their friends want a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish Question."

 

'ISOLATION WILL BE ENDED IN 2023' 

 

Stating that the visibility of the isolation increased during the year, Bilmez said: “The visibility of this great unlawfulness and injustice has increased. There was a very important and meaningful solidarity for us. It has to continue like this. I think that we will get results and break this isolation with the growth of this solidarity in a not too long time. I believe that if we further expand this solidarity in 2023, we will end the isolation.”

 

MA / Ergin Caglar - Rukiye Adıgüzel