The Paris Bar Association has condemned the violation of defence rights for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners held in İmralı F-Type High Security Prison. In a statement issued on 3 July, the Bar expressed concern over the obstruction of communication and legal access for the prisoners, describing it as an attack on basic freedoms and human dignity.
Representatives from the Paris Bar, including former Vice President Vincent Nioré and lawyers François Devedjian and David Andic, met with Rezan Sarıca, one of the defence lawyers from Asrın Law Office representing Öcalan and the other prisoners, on 25 June. Sarıca highlighted the prolonged isolation of the prisoners, noting that Öcalan’s last legal visit was on 7 August 2019, and the other three prisoners—Veysi Aktaş, Hamili Yıldırım, and Ömer Hayri Konar—had not been visited since 2015.
The Paris Bar’s protest letter to the Turkish Justice Ministry denounced the severe restrictions on the prisoners’ defence rights. “A total of eight defence lawyers have been unable to access their clients physically, by phone or through correspondence. This is an unacceptable attack on basic freedoms and human dignity,” the statement declared.
The Paris Bar Association has joined the protest initiated by the defence lawyers of the İmralı prisoners, calling for immediate action to restore their legal rights and ensure humane treatment. They emphasised their solidarity with the lawyers and their clients, underscoring the importance of defending fundamental liberties and human dignity.
“The Paris Bar Association stands firmly against these intolerable conditions and urges the Turkish authorities to address these violations immediately,” the statement concluded.
