Hundreds gather in front of the CPT for Öcalan

Demanding an urgent visit by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) to Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan on Imrali, demonstrators initiated a sit-in in Strasbourg and walked together to the CPT building afterwards.

With a press conference held today, a sit-in was initiated where the offices of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the Council of Europe are located. After the press conference that was attended by dozens of Kurdish, Turkish and other peoples' organizations, hundreds of people walked to the CPT building. With slogans that demand the freedom of Öcalan, the demonstrators called for a CPT committee to urgently visit Öcalan on Imrali in order to check his health and insurance and answer to the people's concerns.

While the police took intense security measures, the statements made by the protesters called on the CPT to fulfill the role given to it by its founding principles. Drawing attention to the speculations on Öcalan's health conditions, demonstrators harshly criticized the passiveness of the institution.

After the statements, the mass initiated a sit-in in front of the CPT building.

As the sit-in proceeded, a committee was organized to go to the CPT representation under the Council of Europe in order to hold a meeting.