Ahmet Türk: Turkey isolates both Kurds and Mr. Öcalan

"The main aim of the State is to carry out policies oppressing Kurds. Kurds are put back into discipline if they ask for their rights", said Kurdish politician Ahmet Türk.

The Asrın Law Office, which act as lawyer for Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, organized a forum to draw attention to the isolation regime imposed on Öcalan. The forum, called 'Kurdish Question and Isolation Law Policy' was held at the Elit Word Hotel in Taksim square, Istanbul.

Among the participants and panelists were politicians Ahmet Turk, Akın Birdal, Sırrı Sakık, Ufuk Uras, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MPs Ayhan Bilgen, Dengir Mir Mehmet Fırat, Meral Danış Beştaş, Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) co-spokeswoman Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, Freedom and Socialism Party (ÖSP) general chairman Sinan Çiftyürek, Researcher Bekir Ağırdır, Artist Ferhat Tunç, Peace Activist Bahadır Altan, Association of 78's, YAKAY-DER, Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Free Journalists Initiative (ÖGİ), representatives of the Peace Foundation.

Kurds are the preferred target

The opening speech of the Forum was made by Kurdish politician and Mardin Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Ahmet Türk.

“This hostile policy is not directed against Mr Öcalan in the prison, but aims to isolate half of the society. - Türk said - We have been living this aggression and isolation policy since the foundation of the Republic. Kurds were targeted on 12 September 1980, and Kurds are targeted now. Of course, other parts of the society are also targeted, but the main aim of the State is to carry out policies oppressing Kurds. Kurds are put back into discipline if they ask for their rights."

Türk pointed out that wherever in the world there is a Kurd, you find policies to intimidate Kurds, and said:

"The attacks against Afrin and Minbij are yet another evidence of the spreading of this policy against Kurds. These violent policies used against Kurds have not been used against anyone. These policies are not for the benefit of any people. These policies will not solve any problems. Our struggle is towards a new democratic process to begin. Mr Öcalan had said about the Peace Process: “Now we have to solve this problem with politics”.