Afife Kartal is the mother of political prisoner Muhammed Kartal. The Kurdish woman from Amed said that she hadn't heard from her son for two months. The political prisoners from PKK and PAJK have launched a communication boycott to resist the isolation in the prisons and especially in Imrali. The action takes place as part of the global campaign "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question".

Afife Kartal said: "Don’t sit at home, raise your voices," and called for solidarity. In support of the prisoner resistance, relatives have started vigils for justice. The actions are taking place in five cities under the motto "A voice for freedom".

“We won’t accept isolation”

Afife Kartal took part in this protest. The Kurdish woman said she considered all political prisoners as her sons and daughters. "We have to hear their voices. We must give the prisoners strength with our resistance. Everyone who has a conscience should listen to us and not leave us alone in our resistance. We haven't received any news from the prisons for two months. There has been no sign of life from Mr. Öcalan for years. Neither his lawyers nor his family have been able to visit him for years. His isolation must end as quickly as possible. Isolation is a crime against humanity. The isolation of Mr. Öcalan and the other prisoners must end."

"You can’t ignore your own child’s resistance."

Talking about families who do not support the resistance of their relatives in prison, Kartal said: "With what conscience can parents refuse to support their child's resistance? How can they afford to stay at home? How can we sit at home as if nothing happened while prisoners fight for our freedom? Every week we raise our voices against isolation in front of prisons. All relatives of prisoners should come and join our appeal. We have been sending packages to the prison for two months, but they are not being handed to our children. Instead, the packages come back. We don't hear a voice, we don't get a letter and we can't visit the prisoners. The prisoners are carrying out this action so that we understand what is going on in Imralı, but no one cares enough about their action."

"Let’s organize together"

Kartal said: "My son wrote a letter before he started the protest. I received this letter just ten days ago. This letter gave me relief, it felt like I could breathe. Imagine how refreshing, how hopeful the news from Imralı would be for the entire Kurdish people... No Kurd should accept this isolation. Let’s organize and take to the streets like we did in 2019 and before. What will happen if we take to the streets? At best they will attack us, they will arrest a few people. What does it mean if we get arrested? Will hell then open? Do we think we are worth more than our children?"

"We must be the voice of the prisoners"

Kartal added that the Turkish government is launching warplanes while calling for peace: "They are bombing our mountains and plains. They kill our people, burn and destroy our villages. Let us take to the streets for our country, for our prisoners. Let's show them our strength. We can win anything if we rise up. If we stand up, we will break isolation. We know this. We don't want any more bloodshed. My call to everyone is this: let us fight for peace and freedom. We must be the voice of the prisoners."