Statement by HDP About ECtHR’s Ruling on Öcalan

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The MPs of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) gave a statement for the press in Parliament yesterday (October 4) and addressed the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which rejected the application of Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), who applied to the court, claiming that he was subjected to ill-treatment and torture in İmralı Prison, where he has been held.

CLICK - ECtHR Rejects Ill-Treatment Application of Öcalan

In the statement which was attended by HDP MPs Hasan Özgüneş, Hüseyin Kaçmaz, Kemal Peköz, Meral Danış-Beştaş, Nuran İmir, Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, Sait Dede and Şevin Coşgun, it was emphasized that the verdict of the ECtHR has overlapped with the defense which was submitted to the court by the government.

"He cannot consult his attorneys for 7 years"

Speaking in the statement, HDP Siirt MP Meral Danış-Beştaş said,

"The rights to consult an attorney and notary, attend cultural and artistic events, communicate with phone, use the library, send and receive letters and fax, use the medical examination and treatment services, have visitors, use television and radio, do sports... None of these rights is exercised in İmralı at the moment.

"The ban of attorneys has entered its 7th year, his attorneys have submitted 670 applications so far. These applications have been rejected on printed grounds each time."

"A result of political collaboration"

Danış-Beştaş evaluated the ECtHR verdict as follows:

"The ECtHR gave a verdict without engaging in any judicial activities, listening to anyone or attorneys or consulting the opinions of Öcalan.

"The defense of the government and the ruling of the ECtHR are the same.

"With this verdict, the ECtHR has approved and justified torture, it has sided with torture. The court has been giving all these rulings with a political motive. It has been approving isolation and segregation.

"We do not acknowledge this ruling. The ruling of the ECtHR is the attitude of the AKP (Justice and Development Party), which has taken the form of a verdict. It is a political collaboration and a result of agreements of interest."

The statement was ended with a call to put an end to isolation. (AS/SD)