HDP former deputy Faysal Sarıyıldız and member of KJAR Coordination Ciwana Sinê talked to ANHA about the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)  rejection of the appeal filed by Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyers.

In its decision in the case of Öcalan v. Turkey (application no. 12261/10) the European Court of Human Rights had unanimously declared the application inadmissible, finding it to be manifestly ill founded. 

“The case mainly concerns allegations by Abdullah Öcalan that he was subjected to ill-treatment in 2008 during a search of his cell. - said the Court - The Court found that there was no arguable claim that Abdullah Öcalan had been subjected to treatment in breach of Article 3 of the Convention by prison warders on 7 October 2008”.

Isolation is evidence of torture

Rejecting this conclusion by the ECHR former HDP deputy, Faysal Sarıyıldız, said that with this verdict in fact the Court has chosen to put aside its responsibility. Öcalan, said the former HDP deputy, has been in jail for 20 years and has been subjected to all kind of illegal practices and torture. 

“Also all visits to Öcalan were banned. - said Sarıyıldız - According to the ECHR conventions this is a crime. The ECHR - he added - has become a partner of the Turkish state with this decision”. 

Emphasizing that the Turkish state has blackmailed the Kurdish people and the Freedom Movement by isolating Öcalan, Sarıyıldız continued: “The fascist Turkish state has intensified the isolation imposed on Öcalan in recent years. No one can visit him and no one actually has news from him. This is clearly not only a gross violation of human rights, but also a great danger”. 

The Turkish state violates all international laws, added the former HDP deputy, yet “the international forces remain silent about this isolation regime. The politics of the Turkish state are deepening the crisis”. 

Ciwana Sinê, KJAR Coordination member, said that the Imralı system “is under the control of all the conspiratorial forces. Leader Apo - she said - is used to hit the will of all Kurdish people”.

BACKGROUND

In a shameful verdict, the European Court of Human Rights ruled:

“In its decision in the case of Öcalan v. Turkey (application no. 12261/10) the European Court of Human Rights has unanimously declared the application inadmissible, finding it to be manifestly illfounded. The decision is final.

The case mainly concerns allegations by Abdullah Öcalan that he was subjected to ill-treatment in 2008 during a search of his cell. Before being arrested in 1998, he was the leader of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party, an illegal organisation). As regards the allegations of ill-treatment, the Court found that there was no arguable claim that Abdullah Öcalan had been subjected to treatment in breach of Article 3 of the Convention by prison warders on 7 October 2008.

The Court observed in particular that, on the day of the alleged incidents and on the following days, Abdullah Öcalan had been examined by a number of doctors, who had not found any signs of physical injury or mental distress. Nor had the applicant himself mentioned anything of the sort. In addition, he had not personally filed a complaint with the prison administration or the public prosecutor responsible for the prison.

As to the investigation, the Court explained that in the absence of any arguable claims, the national authorities did not have any obligation to conduct an effective investigation”.