Fabio Marcelli, an international law expert and director of the Institute for International Legal Studies (ISGI) at the National Research Council (CNR) in Italy, has called for increased international pressure on Turkey over the continued isolation of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. Imprisoned on the island of İmralı since 1999, Öcalan has not been heard from since 25 March 2021 despite numerous requests for contact from his family and legal team, all of which have been denied by the Turkish authorities.
Turkey, a member of the Council of Europe and a signatory of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), is obliged to implement the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). However, the country has yet to comply with a 2014 ECHR ruling on Öcalan’s detention conditions, leading to growing concern among human rights defenders.
In a recent statement, Marcelli, who has previously visited Turkey in a professional capacity, highlighted the increasing severity of Öcalan’s isolation and called for immediate action. “International governments, organisations, academics, intellectuals and social movements must exert pressure to ensure that Mr Öcalan’s human rights are not violated,” Marcelli said, stressing the need for global involvement to protect basic human rights in this case.
In his remarks, Marcelli referred to the 2014 ECHR ruling that condemned the conditions of Öcalan’s detention prior to 17 November 2009 as “inhuman treatment”. He noted that while the court distinguished between Öcalan’s treatment before and after that date – and found no human rights violations after 2009 – there is grave concern that the situation has deteriorated again. Marcelli called for a renewed legal challenge to the current state of Öcalan’s imprisonment, citing the lack of communication and visits in recent years as evidence of worsening conditions.
“Since then, conditions seem to have worsened, with no possibility of visits. This issue needs to be revisited and we need to explore new legal action before the ECHR,” he added.
Earlier, Fabio Marcelli, together with the European Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights (ELDH), visited Turkey as part of a delegation calling for an end to the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan. During this visit, which included meetings with Öcalan’s legal team from Asrın Law Office and the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), Marcelli and the ELDH raised concerns about Turkey’s failure to comply with rulings of the ECHR and called for immediate action to address the conditions of Mr Öcalan’s detention.
Marcelli’s call for action is one of a growing number of voices questioning Turkey’s treatment of Öcalan, particularly in light of its international obligations. Since Öcalan’s last communication in March 2021, the Turkish government has consistently refused requests from his family and lawyers to visit him, raising fears for his well-being. In response, Marcelli has urged the international community to hold Turkey accountable for its obligations under the ECHR.
Stressing the importance of upholding human rights standards in accordance with international law, he said: “International pressure on the Turkish government is essential to ensure the proper application of the ECHR in relation to Mr Öcalan’s detention.
Marcelli concluded by reiterating the need for continued scrutiny and legal action, not only to address Öcalan’s case, but also to highlight broader issues surrounding Turkey’s adherence to human rights conventions.
