AMED - British Kurdish People's Assembly Foreign Affairs Representative Agit Karataş, one of the signatories of the letter sent to the CPT to send a delegation to Imrali, said: "Hundreds of thousands of letters will be written to the CPT and diplomatic pressure will be initiated."

 

There has been no news from PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş, who are held in "absolute" isolation in Imrali Type F High Security Prison, for 38 months. With the aim of breaking the isolation and ensuring the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, who was prevented from seeing his family and lawyers, the "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, solution to the Kurdish issue" campaign was launched with a joint statement made in 74 centers around the world on October 10, 2023. The campaign, supported by internationally known politicians, academics, scientists, writers, activists, institutions and organizations. The campaign is growing day by day.

 

Within the scope of the campaign, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) was one of the leading institutions called for action to end the isolation in Imrali, while the Kurds and their supporters took many initiatives. Finally, letter signed by dozens of people, including Linguist Noam Chomsky, former Labor Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn, Simon Dubbins from Unite the Union, Britain's largest trade union organization, Prof. Dr. Michael Gunter, Prof. Dr. Bill Bowring, Prof. Dr. Mary Davis, SNP MP Chris Stephens, Siin Fein MP Chris Hazzard, Mickey Brady, Labor MPs Kate Osamar, John McDonnell, academics, trade unionists, writers and journalists, was sent to CPT President Alan Mitchell with the title "an urgent and immediate call to be taken into consideration". 

 

British Kurdish People's Assembly Foreign Affairs Representative Agit Karataş, who is among the signatories of the letter sent to the CPT, made evaluations on the issue.

 

LETTER CAMPAIGN

 

Karataş reminded that Peace in Kurdistan, formed by more than 70 academics, politicians, MPs, professors and valuable personalities, is an initiative that has been demanding freedom for Abdullah Öcalan for more than 30 years.

He said that the initiative also led to the last letter sent. Reminding that there is no news from Abdullah Öcalan and that he is not allowed to meet with his family and lawyers, Karataş said that the Kurds and their supporters were worried about this. Pointing out that all the masses in solidarity with the campaign signed the letter because they see Abdullah Öcalan as a leading actor, Karataş said: “This letter is the beginning of our applications to the CPT. Many of our friends in Britain are among the signatories of this letter. This is not a one-off study."

 

'DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE WILL START'

 

Emphasizing that this letter is a start, Karataş stated that they will work to get political parties and MPs in Britain to send letters with their own signatures. Reminding that the Kurdish women's movement also started a campaign to send letters to the CPT in Europe, Karataş said: “The Kurds will write hundreds of thousands of letters to the CPT and initiate diplomatic pressure. We do this as a course of action. Hundreds of thousands of letters will be sent to the institution and said 'this person is our will, we want to hear from him'. We are carrying out this work together with the unions. There will also be union festivals in this context."

 

‘SOLUTION PERSPECTIVE BELONGS TO ÖCALAN’

 

Karataş said that he fought for peace and dialogue in Imrali, where Abdullah Öcalan has been held since 1999, and stated that the Kurdish Freedom Struggle is in favor of solving issues for peaceful co-existence. Karataş said: “The lack of news for the last 3 years is aimed at severing Abdullah Öcalan's communication with the Kurds and the oppressed people. The representative of will that brings the Kurds together is Abdullah Öcalan. The solution perspective belongs to Abdullah Öcalan, that's why getting news is prevented."

 

'THEY ARE AFRAID OF THE PARADIGM HE CREATED'

 

Karataş also touched upon the connection between the isolation imposed on Imrali and international forces and said that Turkey acts as a guard for Imrali Island for NATO. Pointing out that Abdullah Öcalan is held captive by NATO, Karataş said: “We know that Imrali Island is a NATO product. They fear that the paradigm created by Abdullah Öcalan has the potential to change the balances in the Middle East, and that he will play a leading role. For this reason, an absolute isolation has been implemented under Turkey's guard for years. Most international lawyers also defined the Imrali system as a system of torture, not isolation. Because there is an unprecedented situation in the history of the world where a person is tried to be separated from his people because they are afraid of his ideas."

 

'CPT DOES NOT FULFILL ITS RESPONSIBILITIES'

 

Pointing out that the CPT is responsible for the "absolute lack of communication" in Imrali, Karataş underlined that the CPT did not fulfill its legal obligations. Karataş continued: “Although there is no news from Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurds can organize themselves with this paradigm. It is truly unimaginable what the Kurds could reach if the news is received. For this reason, western countries are afraid of an organization they cannot control. However, there is now a democratic modernity paradigm. In order to become a power in the region, Turkey needs to learn to live in peace rather than fighting against the Kurds. The fate of the Kurds is not independent of Abdullah Öcalan. Even though a country trying to grow itself with hostility towards Kurds thinks about its own interests for a short period of time, it does not think about how much damage it may suffer in the long run. There is currently a government that is panicking and trying to save itself. It is obvious how open the people of Turkey are to change. Calls in the democratic field must be answered."

 

MA / Müjdat Can