Isolation of PKK leader Öcalan, hunger strikes in prisons on Parliamentary agenda

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır MP Remziye Tosun, HDP Şırnak MP Hasan Özgüneş and HDP Urfa MP Ömer Öcalan have addressed separate Parliamentary questions to Minister of Justice Abdülhamit Gül and asked him whether any action has been taken about the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in İmralı Prison and the hunger strikes in prisons with a demand for an end to his isolation.

In their questions, the MPs have argued that Öcalan, who has been held in İmralı High Security Type F Closed Prison for 22 years, and other inmates in the same prison have been denied their all legal rights, primarily their right to meet their attorneys, to meet their family members, to make a phone call and to communicate by letter, fax and all means of communication.

Noting that the attorneys' requests for a meeting have been rejected 1,400 times, HDP MPs have reminded the Minister that no face-to-face meeting has been held after the attorneys' visitation on August 7, 2019 and the family visit on March 3, 2020. They have indicated that the last time a phone call with family members was allowed was on April 27, 2020.

They have noted that the definite-alternate hunger strikes that began in prisons on November 27, 2020 have been continuing for 200 days.

"All basic rights of the arrestees participating in the hunger strike, especially their right to life and health, are at risk. There are, unfortunately, examples in Turkey's history showing that a long state of hunger strike might lead to permanent health problems," they have underlined.

Questions to the Justice Minister

Against this background, the three HDP MPs have asked Justice Minister Gül the following questions about the issue:

* What is the legal ground for the isolation in İmralı which is going on in an unlawful manner and for the restriction of Abdullah Öcalan's right to meet his attorneys, to meet his family members, to make a phone call and to communicate by letter, fax and all means of communication?

* What is the reason for rejecting Abdullah Öcalan's requests for meeting his attorneys and family members?

* What is the number of prisoners who have gone on a hunger strike for an end to the isolation in İmralı Prison and against the violations of rights in Turkey? In how many prisons are these strikes ongoing?

* What is the last time Hamili Yıldırım, Veysi Aktaş and Ömer Hayri Konar, who are held in İmralı Prison, met their attorneys and families?

* Will you take any action to meet the demands of the prisoners who have been on a hunger strike for an end to the isolation for 200 days before their health conditions take a turn for the worse?

* Have you undertaken any work to end the isolation, which violates the Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. If not, what is the reason for this failure?

* Are you planning to make any arrangements to eliminate the violations of rights committed in prisons? (KÖ/SD)