ERZIROM - Stating that the İmralı gate can be opened with struggle, politicians in Erzirom said: "Everyone needs to take a stand against the isolation."

 

There has been no news from PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is held in isolation in İmralı Type F High Security Prison, for 33 months. Applications made by families and lawyers requesting a meeting are either left unanswered or blocked on the grounds of "disciplinary penalties". The "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, solution to the Kurdish issue" campaign, which was launched at the international level on October 10 to ensure Abdullah Öcalan's physical freedom and end the isolation, continues with various actions and events. While the rotating hunger strike that started on November 27 in prisons in Kurdistan and Turkey spread to 106 prisons, Justice Watch actions were launched in Amed(Diyarbakır), Mersin, Wan(Van) and Adana in order to show solidarity with the prisoners.

 

Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP) Erzirom(Erzurum) Provincial CoChair Türkan Sümbül, HEDEP member Mehmet Koçak, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Provincial CoChair Ramazan Karakaş and Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) activist Mehtap Demirkaya made evaluations about the isolation.

 

'THE ISOLATION SHOULD BE ENDED'

 

Stating that the isolation was imposed on the Kurdish people in the person of Abdullah Öcalan, DBP Erzirom Provincial CoChair Ramazan Karakaş said: “This isolation is an isolation imposed on everyone who adopted the Kurdish movement. In order to solve the problems of the country, the isolation imposed on Mr. Öcalan must end and Öcalan must regain his physical freedom. For weeks, marches, justice watches and press statements have been held to end the isolation. Peace and tranquility can only be possible by ending the isolation." 

 

'WE NEED TO DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY'

 

Stating that the isolation should be explained to the society, TJA activist Mehtap Demirkaya said: “Imrali is an important factor in building social peace. People need peace and for this it is necessary to break the isolation. If we explain this to the public, we can achieve it. Hunger strikes began in prisons. Our people need to stand up for the prisoners and own their actions. The gates of İmralı will be opened with the struggle. As women, we need to do whatever is necessary.”