The Asrın Law Bureau issued a statement on the 22nd anniversary of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan’s arrest. “It is impossible for Turkey to reach democratic standards without the removal of the Imralı Isolation System”, it noted.
Asrın Law Bureau added: “As it is known, the Imralı Isolation System was built as a continuation of the international conspiracy, and it has also developed and institutionalised unlawfulness”. It observed that Imralı Prison was formed as a result of a secret protocol that was signed between the United States (US) and Turkey: “Mr Öcalan also says ‘Proto-Guantanamo’ for İmralı Prison. That protocol is an important piece of information that reveals the fact that, from the moment of its foundation to the manner in which it is administered and its policies implemented, Imralı Prison operates within the scope of international planning and inspection”.
Stating that the Turkish state has applied special regulations for Öcalan (who was abducted and arrested on 15 February 1999), the Asrın Law Bureau stated that: “The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled by its 2014 dated decision that the implementation carried out on Öcalan in Imralı Prison constituted torture and mistreatment. Turkey has not made an arrangement or change regarding this issue yet”. The Law Bureau further emphasized that the isolation policy has spread across the whole of society and the country and it stated that Öcalan’s communications with the outside world have been totally cut.
“The judicial and the political atmosphere in the country is apparent at a time that when absolute isolation conditions are being implemented. As can be confirmed citing other findings, it is impossible for Turkey to reach democratic standards without the removal of the Imralı Isolation System which is considered as a judicial-political standard for the whole country”.
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