Statement on Abdullah Öcalan by Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül

* Photograph: Utku Uçrak - Ankara / AA

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Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül has answered questions regarding the meeting of Kurdistan Workers Party's (PKK) imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan with his lawyers in İmralı Prison.

CLICK - Lawyers of Abdullah Öcalan Go to İmralı Prison

Attending the fast-breaking meal organized by Anatolian Publishers' Association in Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara yesterday (May 23), Minister Gül addressed the media representatives who also attended the meal.

Asked the question, "The meeting of Öcalan with his lawyers has brought to minds a new resolution process [for the Kurdish Question]. Is there a new resolution process? Does it have anything to do with the İstanbul elections?", Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül made the following remarks:

"It has nothing to do with a new resolution process. It cannot be remarked that 'a resolution process is starting again.' It also does not have anything to do with the İstanbul elections. In fact, as far as I can remember, he met with his family in January. He had not met them for a long time.

"And concerning his lawyers... There was a legal obstacle imposed by the court; this obstacle has been removed by the Heavy Penal Court upon an objection to the verdict given by the judgeship of execution.

"It is a meeting, a visitation made within this framework. There is no need to associate it with the elections."

Minister Gül also responded to a question whether the meetings and visitations in question will continue on a periodical basis:

"There was another meeting yesterday. The related authorities will, of course, evaluate it considering the condition of the prison and criteria required by the law and legislation."

What happened?

The last meeting held between Öcalan and his lawyers was on May 2, 2019. The details of the meeting were shared with the public in a statement for the press on May 6. In their statement, the lawyers from the Asrın Law Bureau also shared the message of Öcalan.

Before this last meeting on May 2, Öcalan was permitted to meet his lawyers eight years ago, on July 27, 2011. Since then, he had not been allowed to meet anyone including his lawyers and family members. On January 13, 2019, Öcalan could have a brief meeting with his brother Mehmet Öcalan.

On May 16, Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül announced that the ban preventing Abdullah Öcalan from meeting his lawyers in İmralı Prison has been lifted. Gül stated that "the decisions regarding the meeting ban have been revoked and a meeting opportunity has been provided."

Minister Gül also indicated that the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture inspected the İmralı Prison on May 7.

On the other side, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari MP and Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-Chair Leyla Güven went on a hunger strike on November 8, 2018 with the demand that the conditions of isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan be removed.

On December 16, hundreds of inmates from more than 50 prisons across Turkey followed suit and went on a hunger strike. As of March 1, 2019, thousands of inmates have been on a hunger strike. Since then, eight inmates have claimed their own lives with the same demand. 30 people have also announced that they have gone on a death fast. (AS/SD)