With the recent discussions on the Kurdish issue, the question of whether Turkey will implement the European Court of Human Right's ruling on the violation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan's "right to hope" has come up again. Lawyer Ömer Taş, a member of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom, demanded the implementation of the resolution, which was brought to the agenda of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers due to Turkey's steps, and demanded that the law be enforced in İmralı. 

 

Referring to the recent discussions, Taş said: "If a process is to be initiated, first the isolation must be lifted and the Constitution must be applied to İmralı. The state has already admitted with its own mouth that there is no law in İmralı."

 

Stating that the isolation system applied to Abdullah Öcalan has spread to the whole of Turkey, "Everyone must now recognise the ecistence of the isolation in İmralı. Mr Öcalan must be allowed to meet with his family and lawyers. The government must take serious steps in this regard and maintain transparency. If there is a hope for peace, transparent steps must be taken at this point," he said. 

 

Ömer Taş, a lawyer from ÖHD 

 

'THE RIGHT TO HOPE CANNOT BE NEGOTIATED'

 

Stating that "life imprisonment without the possibility of conditional release" is defined as torture and ill-treatment in the European Convention on Human Rights and that this situation is characterised as a "violation of the right to hope", Taş said, "'Right to hope' is also an absolute right. There can be no negotiation at this point. It cannot be subjected to any conditions".

 

Referring to the meeting with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the ongoing discussions, Taş said: "They should never hesitate to tell the truth. Everyone must take their responsibility."

 

MA / Ferhat Sezgin