International Initiative
Freedom for Ocalan – Peace in Kurdistan
P.O. Box 100511, D-50445 Koeln
E-Mail: info@freedom-for-ocalan.com
Url: www.freedom-for-ocalan.com

Cologne, 19 January 2005

INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE BRIEFINGS:
A Touchstone For Europe

In an interview with the Dicle News Agency Ocalan lawyers Mark Muller and Tim Otty talked about their recent visit to Imrali island after one and a half years where there client is held prisoner since 1999. In particular they criticised the conditions Abdullah Ocalan has been subjected to for four years now which were clearly in violation of the European Convention for Human Rights. However, notwithstanding these harsh circumstances and despite his relatives’ continuous worries for his health Mr. Ocalan was still full of life and activity.

According to Mark Muller, the European Convention guaranteed every prisoner his right to see his family, his lawyers, and granted an appropriate time for walks or exercises in the yard, as well as access to public media. Mr Ocalan, they said, only wanted to be treated like any other prisoner.

His lawyers have recently appealed a decision by the European Court for Human Rights in order to improve the prison conditions. Moreover, they demanded that the EU should recognise Mr. Ocalan’s political role and should also require Turkey to do the same.

During the past five years Abdullah Ocalan’s statements have always been concerned with peace and a peaceful and democratic settlement of the conflict while inviting Europe to recognise the Kurds’ fundamental culture rights.

The lawyers added that the Ocalan case had to be treated like the Leyla Zana case which had been made a test case by the Europeans in terms of human rights, prisoner rights and civil liberties. On the other hand, this was also a test case as to whether Turkey had already reached a state of development where it could be admitted into the EU.

Finally, the lawyers demanded that Mr. Ocalan should be transferred into a prison where he would be able to see other prisoners. They expressed their confidence that this might become possible within the next two years. Turkey should observe its own laws and really implement all the reforms and new laws that had been enacted in the past years.