ISTANBUL - Lawyers of Asrın Law Firm applied to Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and İmralı Penal Institution Directorate to meet with their client, PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, from whom there has been absolute lack of communication and from which they have not received any news for 33 months.

 

Rezan Sarıca, Raziye Öztürk, Özgür Faik Erol and Mazlum Dinç, lawyers of Asrın Law Firm, went to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to meet with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been kept under aggravated isolation in İmralı F Type High Security Closed Prison for 25 years and from whom no news has been received for 33 months. They made a new application to the İmralı Penitentiary Institution Directorate. Lawyers also applied to the prosecutor's office and prison directorate for Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş, who are held in İmralı.

 

'Urgent' meeting application from lawyers

 

In their application for an "urgent" meeting on December 5, the lawyers reminded the 5.2 magnitude earthquake that occurred off the coast of Mudanya on December 4 and stated that they wanted to meet with Abdullah Öcalan, Hamili Yıldırım, Ömer Hayri Konar and Veysi Aktaş immediately.

 

Systematic view 'bans'

 

While there was no positive or negative response to the applications made by lawyers twice a week to meet with Abdullah Öcalan, the recent "disciplinary punishments" and "lawyer visit bans" given to Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners Veysi Aktaş, Hamili Yıldırım and Ömer Hayri Konar were cited as justification views are blocked.

 

New 'visit ban!'

 

On November 6, Asrın Law Firm applied once again to Bursa Execution Judgeship for the opinions of lawyers. As a result of the application, it was learned that there was a new 6-month lawyer "prohibition order" given to the PKK Leader on October 31. The lawyers' request to learn the content of the "prohibition decision" and to be given a copy of the file was rejected by the Judge's Office, citing "security" reasons. At the same time, the objection made by the lawyers against the "ban" decision was rejected by the High Criminal Court. Lawyers will apply to the Constitutional Court (AYM) against the "prohibition decision".

 

All requests are rejected!

 

In the application made by the lawyers to the Judgeship on October 10, they requested to ensure family meetings, to provide a copy of the file of a new "disciplinary penalty" investigation, if any, and to cancel a new "penalty" if there is a new "penalty" imposed. Bursa Execution Judgeship responded to the lawyers' application on October 13. In its response, the judge stated that there was a new "disciplinary punishment" given against Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners. The Judgeship did not provide any information about when, why and with what number this new "disciplinary penalty" was given. Rejecting all requests, the Judgeship rejected the request for a file sample, which was the subject of "disciplinary punishment" and requested by the lawyers, on the grounds that it was "reflected in the press".

 

AYM application from lawyers

 

His lawyers made 3 separate applications to both the prison and the prosecutor's office on 15 and 23 December 2022 and 3 January 2023, after the disciplinary punishment given to the PKK leader on September 9, 2022, which was the reason for the family view barrier, ended on December 9. On January 4, Bursa Execution Judgeship informed lawyers that Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners were given a new 3-month family visit ban. While the reason for the ban was explained as "disciplinary punishment", no information was shared about the reason why the punishment was given and the date of punishment. The objection made by the lawyers against the decision on January 10 was rejected by the Bursa High Criminal Court on the same day. Lawyers applied to the Constitutional Court (AYM) against the said decision.

 

No ban, no opinion!

 

After the 6-month ban on lawyers for Abdullah Öcalan expired on October 18, 2022, Asrın Law Office's lawyers, who applied for an opinion to the Bursa Execution Judge, requested that they be informed that they wanted to meet with their clients and why the meetings were not held. In its reply to the lawyers, the judgeship stated that there was no prohibition of opinion. However, no comments were made to the lawyers during this period.

 

No response to applications

 

The lawyers, who applied to the judgeship again on October 26, 2022, upon the expiration of the lawyer's visit ban, asked why they were not allowed to meet with their clients when there was no visitation ban. Responding to the lawyers' request, the judgeship announced that Abdullah Öcalan was given a new 6-month "lawyer's ban", which became final on October 21, 2022. The decision was only notified to the lawyers on October 27, 2022. Lawyers of Asrın Law Office submitted a petition to Bursa Execution Judgeship because the content of this sentence was not notified to them. However, no positive or negative response was given to this application.

 

Call to the UN

 

Recalling the application they made to the United Nations Human Rights Committee in September 2022 and the injunctions against it, Asrın Law Office, in the last statement they made after they did not receive any news from their clients for two years, said, “The injunction must be implemented immediately and the clients, especially lawyer visits, It should be ensured that all rights arising from legal and international agreements, including”

 

Call to the Ministry of Justice

 

In their last statement on June 26, the lawyers also said, "The isolation imposed on Öcalan has no place in law. It needs to be removed. It is understood that they are trying to reverse the truth, that they want to hide what happened in Imrali, and that they want to create material for more severe attacks. But what really needs to be investigated is the Imrali isolation regime and its enforcers. "This is our open call to the government and the Ministry of Justice, the UN HRC's injunction decision must be complied with immediately, the state of not receiving information and torture practices must end," he said, calling on the Ministry of Justice to comply with the injunction decision.

 

'Urgent' visit application from lawyers to CPT

 

Finally, at the end of August, the lawyers applied for an "urgent" visit to the CPT, stating that concerns about the PKK Leader had reached their peak. Lawyers warned that "tomorrow may be too late" and called for an end to illegal practices.