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International Initiative
Freedom for Ocalan – Peace in Kurdistan
P.O. Box 100511, D-50445 Koeln
E-Mail: info@freedom-for-ocalan.com
Url: www.freedom-for-ocalan.com
Cologne, 20 January 2003
INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE BRIEFINGS:
Concerning Abdullah Ocalan's solitary confinement - Mr- Ocalan's
situation remains unclear!
With a view to the critical situation of Abdullah Ocalan
we document a statement by his lawyers:
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Asrin Hukuk Bürosu
Asmali Mescit Mah. Sehbender Sok.
No:18 D.3 Beyoglu/Istanbul/Türkiye
Istanbul, 16 January 2003
Concerning Abdullah Ocalan’s solitary confinement –
Mr. Ocalan’s situation remains unclear!
After his illegal abduction to Turkey on February 15, 1999 Abdullah
Ocalan has been detained on the prison-island of Imrali under conditions
of severe isolation. This island lies in the Sea of Marmara within
a restricted military zone.
The severe isolation that our client has been subjected to for
more than four years now clearly conflicts grossly with national
and international legal minimum standards. In particular, he is
deprived of his right to an appropriate legal assistance by an arbitrary
practice which seems to become systematic.
Under normal circumstances Abdullah Ocalan would be permitted to
receive his lawyers once a week, on Wednesdays, for one hour. His
closest relatives are allowed to visit him once a month.
After September 18, 2002, though, we could only see our client
on three occasions. The other visiting dates were cancelled on the
grounds that the weather would not allow for crossing over to the
island. For more than seven weeks now there is no non-partisan information
on our client’s situation. Hence his isolation has reached
a new stage and is far beyond anything that could be accepted. This
is why we are seriously concerned for his life and limb.
We have filed several applications with the prosecutor’s office
in Bursa and the human rights commission of the Turkish National
Assembly. These, however, have not been answered until now. For
the same reason we have addressed the anti-torture committee of
the European Council asking for a new survey of the detention conditions
on the prison island. Additionally, we have filed a complaint with
the European Court of Human Rights.
In spite of these efforts it proved impossible to achieve any improvement
of the situation described above. All attempts to request the authorities
to give information on the situation of our client remained unfruitful.
With a view to our client’s position and role an escalation
of this situation cannot be ruled out any longer. At this point,
therefore, the support of the international democratic public is
needed. We appeal to the European community of states, with a view
to the seriousness of the situation, to approach Turkey on behalf
of Mr. Ocalan’s life and safety.
Our client’s situation must be clarified without delay.
Century Law Office
(Translation: International Initiative “Freedom for Abdullah
Ocalan – Peace in Kurdistan”)
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