The Turkish government is perpetuating a clear form of torture by isolating the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, said Nevroz Uysal of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), addressing the Turkish Parliament on Thursday.
🔴 Addressing the Turkish Parliament on Thursday, DEM Party MP Nevroz Uysal (@newroz_uysal) criticised the ongoing isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and urged the government to acknowledge his role in resolving the Kurdish issue.#DEMParti | #FreedomForOcalan |… pic.twitter.com/NpifzGXo6C
— MedyaNews (@1MedyaNews) December 22, 2023
Uysal condemned the Turkish government’s “National İmralı Policies” and the ongoing isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, positioning him as a key figure in resolving the Kurdish issue.
“The source of [our country’s] lawlessness is the National İmralı policies, where justice and law have been eliminated, and special practices have been implemented,” Uysal stated. She argued that the government’s reluctance to allow Öcalan’s ideas to reach the public is a deliberate attempt to obscure the truth and maintain the status quo. Uysal criticised the government’s narrative that reduces the Kurdish issue to a matter of terrorism and security, thereby placing a significant barrier between society and the truth.
Regarding the international reaction, Uysal highlighted that over 2,000 lawyers from more than 30 countries have submitted legitimate requests to meet with Mr. Öcalan, reflecting a global interest in his ideas and role in peace efforts. She questioned the Justice Ministry’s lack of response to these requests and emphasised the urgency of addressing Öcalan’s situation in light of international human rights standards.
Uysal also addressed the broader implications of Öcalan’s isolation, noting that peace calls and freedom campaigns are being held worldwide. She referenced endorsements from figures like Slavoj Žižek and Felix Padel, demonstrating the international recognition of Öcalan’s potential contribution to peace in the Middle East.
Highlighting the human cost of the government’s policies, Uysal spoke of ongoing hunger strikes in Turkish prisons, a protest against the torture system represented by the İmralı policies. She urged the government to listen and respond to these demands for justice and peace.
In her concluding remarks, Uysal called on the government to “confront the truth and power of Abdullah Öcalan’s ideas”. She argued that if Turkey genuinely seeks a democratic and peaceful future, it must end the absolute isolation of Öcalan, which she defined as a crime against humanity.
