Medya News
Daily News
Breaking News
Subscribe
  • Home
  • All News
  • Opinion
  • Kurdistan
  • Women
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
  • More
    • Audio Articles
    • Economy
    • Culture & Art
    • Ecology
    • Newsletter
    • Daily News
Youtube
PODCAST
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • All News
  • Opinion
  • Kurdistan
  • Women
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
  • More
    • Audio Articles
    • Economy
    • Culture & Art
    • Ecology
    • Newsletter
    • Daily News
Youtube
PODCAST
No Result
View All Result
Medya News

Mandela’s lawyer: ‘Denial of prisoner’s contact with family and lawyer unacceptable in international law’

Speaking in a conference on the case of imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, retired South African judge Siraj Desai said that even under the apartheid regime the lawyers and family members of Nelson Mandela were able to visit him regularly.

2:10 pm 28/05/2022
A A
Mandela’s lawyer: ‘Denial of prisoner’s contact with family and lawyer unacceptable in international law’
Share post

A legal representative for Nelson Mandela, the legendary leader of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and former South African president, stated that the severe isolation imposed upon Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), was unacceptable in the confines of international law.

Siraj Desai, who also served as a judge in South Africa between 1995 and 2020, spoke on Saturday in the conference titled ‘Right to Peace Against Policy of Isolation’, held in Istanbul, Turkey, jointly by the Human Rights Associaton (İHD) of Turkey, the Lawyers’ Association for Freedom (ÖHD), and the Foundation for Society and Legal Studies (TOHAV).

The case of Abdullah Öcalan, who’s been denied contact with his lawyers for three years now, and visits by his family members for four years, was examined in the conference.

Noting that the African National Congress (ANC) that waged a struggle against apartheid for decades was designated a ‘terrorist group’ by various national and international parties, Desai said:

“ANC’s struggle was opposed by many, including US authorities. Our demands were for political rights, and for freedom and rights of the black people. There was a profound inequality in the society and we were fighting against it. There was also an armed struggle alongside the international campaign. The armed struggle helped significantly in achieving objectives.”

Desai told about the prison conditions of Nelson Mandela, who was sentenced to life imprisonment.

“A person who’s been sentenced to imprisonment for life should have a legal representative,” he said.

“During the time he was incarcerated, Mandela was able to have visits once every six months both from his lawyers and his family members. I personally was able to visit Robben Island.* We had access to our clients. No matter how awful the conditions were, we were able to go and visit them. I was enraged when I was informed that you haven’t been able to have any contact with Öcalan for a long time. This is not acceptable in international law. International law gives you the right to access both in the trial process, and in the process of serving the sentence. Receiving a prison sentence does not mean that your access to your lawyer and family may be prevented.”

Desai also stressed that life imprisonment did not mean indefinite incarceration in the legal practices of various countries. He said:

“Even under the apartheid regime Nelson Mandela was released after 20 years. We’re talking about very long periods of time. In many countries, people who have been imprisoned for life are incarcerated for about 20 years. If a convict has not been released after 20 years, this means that this person is still believed to be presenting a danger for the society. In the case of Öcalan, a political decision is required, and that decision should be reasonable and logical. The release should be contributing to peace and society’s welfare.”

* Nelson Mandela was imprisoned in Robben Island for 18 years.


Share post
Tags: Trending

Related Posts

Decade on: Gezi Park protests still resonate as defining moment in Turkey’s history

Decade on: Gezi Park protests still resonate as defining moment in Turkey’s history

May 31, 2023
Daily News: 31 May 2023

Daily News: 31 May 2023

May 31, 2023
Kurdish-led administration continues to evacuate stranded Syrians from Sudan

Kurdish-led administration continues to evacuate stranded Syrians from Sudan

May 31, 2023
Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş announces retirement from active politics “for now”

Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş announces retirement from active politics “for now”

May 31, 2023
Sweden in “constant contact” with Turkish gov’t since elections

Sweden in “constant contact” with Turkish gov’t since elections

May 31, 2023
No devil cuts his own claws: Sultanic reflections

No devil cuts his own claws: Sultanic reflections

May 31, 2023

Videos

Decade on: Gezi Park protests still resonate as defining moment in Turkey’s history
POLITICS

Decade on: Gezi Park protests still resonate as defining moment in Turkey’s history

May 31, 2023

All News

Decade on: Gezi Park protests still resonate as defining moment in Turkey’s history

Daily News: 31 May 2023

Kurdish-led administration continues to evacuate stranded Syrians from Sudan

Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş announces retirement from active politics “for now”

Sweden in “constant contact” with Turkish gov’t since elections

No devil cuts his own claws: Sultanic reflections

Medya News

Impressum

About us

Privacy Policy

Subscribe
Contact

 

No Result
View All Result
  • All News
  • Opinion
  • Kurdistan
  • Women
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
  • Ecology
  • Economy
  • Culture & Art
  • Daily News
  • Breaking News
  • Newsletter
  • Authors
  • Podcast

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Add New Playlist

Loading
Contact