Öcalan, who has been held in the high security İmralı F-type prison since his capture in 1999, has been held in strict isolation. The last visit by his lawyers took place on 7 August 2019, after which a complete ban was imposed. The Asrin Law Office reported that there has been no contact with Öcalan since an interrupted phone call with his brother on 25 March 2021, and that all subsequent attempts at communication have been blocked.
In their latest statement, the lawyers highlighted Öcalan’s warnings during the 2019 meeting about potential conflicts, where he claimed he could stop hostilities within a week if allowed to continue dialogue. Öcalan had insisted that ignoring such calls for peace would deepen social wounds and strain the economy – a prediction that his lawyers say has come true.
The isolation of Öcalan and three other prisoners has drawn criticism from human rights organisations and prompted legal action. Despite repeated appeals to Turkish courts and international bodies, including the United Nations Human Rights Committee, the ban on lawyers and family visits has been repeatedly extended, most recently in May 2024 for a further six months.
The Asrin Law Office insists that Öcalan’s isolation undermines both legal norms and efforts to find a democratic solution to the Kurdish question. They call for an end to his total isolation and for immediate steps to facilitate visits by lawyers, saying that this is essential for both justice and peace in the region.
