Families of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, Hamili Yıldırım, Veysi Aktaş and Ömer Hayri Konar, who are held in Imralı High Security F Type Closed Prison, were allowed access to their relatives on June 5, the second day of Eid.

Hamili Yıldırım, Veysi Aktaş and Ömer Hayri Konar had been referred from various prisons to the Imralı Island as ‘secreteritat’ during the ‘resolution process’. Ömer Hayri Konar and Veysi Aktaş had last met their families on 15 March 2015, and Hamili Yıldırım on 15 July 2015.

Sabiha Aslan, sister of Veysi Aktaş, who was one of those that went to Imralı, spoke to Mesopotamia Agency (MA) about the meeting with her brother after 4 years.

“WE WERE SUBJECTED TO SEVERAL SEARCHES”

Aslan told the following; “If I am not wrong, we were subjected to a search for 6-7 times. In addition, there was the return, of course. We were subjected to a search for 12-13 times in total. Several times of body search, signature procedures, intense searches followed, we even took off our shoes.”

Aslan stated that after the search points, each prisoner met with his relatives in separate rooms, because of which she couldn’t see Öcalan, Yıldırım or Konar. She noted that their meeting lasted around an hour.

WHAT WAS SPOKEN?

Aslan said her (elder) brother came with a smile on his face into the room where she had been waiting, telling the following; “I hugged him. I didn’t know what to do. I constantly kissed his hands, his face. It was a very strange feeling. Before leaving him, I hugged him again.”

Aslan said they talked with his brother about their family as it has been 4 years since they last met, and continued; “When he first came, he asked ‘who is dead and who alive?’ 4 years is not a short period of time. I told him that our grandmother had passed away. He asked ‘When? How long has it been, a year or months?’ Then I told him that it was in November.”

Aslan noted that she almost didn’t know what to speak and ask about since she was there for the first time. She cited her brother as saying “It is not certain if you would be allowed here again. This might be the last visit, or continue”.

Aslan continued; “He asked me to bring my children with me if I can go there again. He asked how much they have grown up. He said ‘I wish you had brought Sarya, too’. Sarya is my daughter. I did not take her with me as I didn’t know if they would allow her or not.”

Aslan remarked that her brother was in good state of health and morale. She continued; “He said they were umcorfortable with the humidity. There was no other problem that he mentioned. He seemed to have gained weight. He said this was because he had quitted smoking.”

Aslan lastly said the following; “It is not possible for me to express ey feelings. It was a very heavy feeling, burden and joy anyway. It would be as long as a book if I could express my feelings but I cannot. I am still under its influence.”