ISTANBUL -  A decision is expected today from the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe meeting, which was held by law and non-governmental organizations for PKK leader Abdullah  Öcalan, and which has entered its third day.

 

The Committee of Ministers, which is the executive organ of the Council of Europe and is responsible for the supervision of the execution of decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), comes together at the level of ambassadors in Strasbourg, France, four times a year, every three months. The Committee holds its last meeting this year between November 30-December 2. One of the important agendas of the Committee meeting, which has entered its third day, is the application made by non-governmental and legal organizations from Turkey for PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, Hayati Kaytan, Emin Gurban and Civan Boltan on July 26.

 

The ECtHR’s ‘Öcalan-2’ decision is not implemented

 

Civil society and legal organizations made this application in virtue of the ECtHR decision known as ‘’Öcalan-2’’. In the Öcalan-2 decision on March 18, 2014, the ECtHR decided that aggravated life imprisonment violated the European Convention on Human Rights’ Article 3, which prohibits torture and ill-treatment.

But instead of this decision being implemented by the authorities in Turkey, an aggravated isolation regime was systematized in Imralı. All contacts with the outside world, especially Abdullah Öcalan, and other prisoners with him were cut off.

 

The application is on the agenda of the Committee

 

Thereupon, the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (OHD), Society and Legal Research Foundation (TOHAV), Human Rights Association (IHD) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) applied to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe regarding the ECtHR’s Öcalan-2 decision. The Committee decided to discuss the issue in this month’s session by putting the issue on its agenda for the first time upon the application.

 

‘Private law’ carries out in Imralı

 

The response to the application was made on September 7 by the authorities from Turkey, and the Committee was notified on the Action Plan on October 7. Claiming that there was no violation in Imralı, Turkey ignored the determinations and suggestions of the applicants. However, in the ‘’Action Plan’’ on October 7, Turkey stated that Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners did not have the right to ‘’release on probation’’ and it also accepted the private law that it put into practice in Imralı.

 

Result is awaited

 

A decision on the applications made is expected from the Committee meeting, which has entered its third day. If the Committee determines that Turkey has not implemented the ECtHR decisions, it may request an ‘’Action Plan’’ from Turkey or put some sanctions on its agenda.

In these sessions, the Committee is expected to discuss the violation decisions regarding the former Co-Chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş, who is being held in Edirne Prison, and imprisoned business person Osman Kavala.