Lawyers Prevented from Visiting Ocalan Again
The lawyers went to Gemlik early Wednesday morning only to be told that they would not be able to go to the Imrali prison island due to "bad weather conditions."
One of Ocalan's lawyers, Aysel Tugluk, said the fact that they were unable to see the imprisoned leader in 12 weeks was against both international law and Turkish laws.
Lawyer Hasip Kaplan said they had the right to be taken to the prison island with a suitable vehicle. "This is a serious violation of rights," he said.
Visit by international delegation "formal " while visit by lawyers "informal"
Tugluk stated that a delegation from the European Council Anti-Terror Committee was taken to the prison island by helicopter on Monday. "The officials told us that the anti-torture delegation had gone to the island for a 'formal visit.' They said we did not have a 'formal status' and so we could not visit him."
Turkey needs to comply with the European Human Rights Convention and our visits should not be interrupted, said Tugluk.
"The delegation from the European Council Anti-Terror Committee did not make announcements due to their working principles, but they stated Ocalan was in good condition."
The lawyers reportedly applied to the Gemlik Prosecutorship Wednesday morning and demanded to see Ocalan. They were told that they could not go to the prison island due to the bad weather conditions. Their demand to be taken to the island by helicopter as the delegation from the European Council Anti-Terror Committee was rejected. They were told the delegation had a "formal status" while they did not.
Tugluk said the case they opened at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) continued.
Kaplan: Another case at the ECHR
"The Justice Ministry meets the demands of an international delegation, while it prevents the visit by lawyers. This is detrimental to our national pride," lawyer Hasip Kaplan said.
"This implementation is a serious violation of rights. This can be a reason for a new case at the ECHR."
"Law should not be particular to individuals. It should be applied equally to everyone. Lawyers' visit to the island should not be prevented even for security reasons. Instead, precautions should be taken to ensure security," added Kaplan.
"Nobody has the right to put Turkey in a difficult situation through such implementation. We hope that the unnecessary preventions and tensions will end soon. The obstacles in front of a fair trial should be lifted and the defense should be able to do its job." (BB/EA/NM)