Öcalan's lawyers apply to the UN against aggravated isolation
Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's lawyers applied to the United Nations on July 12 for an examination in İmralı Island Prison into the conditions of aggravated isolation.
In the wake of the coup attempt of 15 July, concerns are growing over the situation of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan who is denied meeting with his lawyers for five years and with İmralı Delegation since 5 April, 2015.
Amid reports of an assassination plan against Öcalan since the failed coup attempt, Turkish judicial authorities continue denying access to İmralı and rejecting all the applications filed by his family and lawyers to meet with the Kurdish leader.
It has been learned that the Kurdish leader's lawyers applied to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on July 12, short before the coup attempt of July 15, for an on-site examination into the isolation he is subject to.
The application addresses to 8 separate rapporteurs, which include on:
"torture and other severe, inhumane and humiliating treatment or punishment",
"recognition and protection of human rights in anti-terror fight",
"extrajudicial, special and arbitrary practices",
"minority issues",
"racism, racist discrimination, xenophobia and new forms of intolerance".
Lawyers told about the conditions of aggravated isolation imposed on their client in İmralı, and highlighted that he is deprived of the right to visit by his lawyer and family, and the right to communication.
Lawyers also attached the CPT reports consisting of details on İmralı visits and recommendations to the government for the ending of the isolation.
Öcalan's lawyers asked the United Nations to assign rapporteurs for the examination and fastening of the aggravated isolation imposed upon Öcalan, and its influence on their client.
The application to the United Nations emphasized that Öcalan's conditions must be brought in compliance with law as the İmralı Isolation System is entirely shaped in line with the political ruling policies without an involvement of laws and judicial authorities.
Lawyers for Öcalan demanded necessary steps be taken by the Turkish government and the UN in order for the ending of the aggravated isolation, ending of the denial of meetings with his family and lawyers and removal of all the communication obstacles imposed upon him.
