Council of Europe responds to Union Syndicale Solidaires over Öcalan’s isolation

The French Union Syndicale Solidaires wrote a letter to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Maria Pejcinovic-Buric, on 6 October demanding the end of the isolation of Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Miroslav Papa, Director of the Cabinet of the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, replied on behalf of Pejcinovic-Buric. “As you know, the conditions of detention in this prison are object of a regular and secret dialogue between the CPT and the Turkish authorities. The report of the CPT on its visit to Imrali in 2021 and the response of the authorities will be made public in accordance with the existing practices of the European Convention against torture, punishment and inhuman treatment.”

Miroslav added: “Furthermore, as you mentioned, Mr. Öcalan and five other prisoners in Imralı prison filed individual applications to the European Court of Human Rights in October 2011, particularly regarding restrictions on their right to receive visits from family members and lawyers. With similar complaints, Mr. Öcalan made a second application in September 2018. These requests were communicated to the Turkish Government in September 2019 and are being dealt with by the Court in accordance with its procedures. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe cannot in any way interfere with the completely independent court.”

Miroslva said that in cases where the court finds a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, in accordance with Article 46 of the Convention, the implementation of the relevant provision is mandatory and the execution process is subject to the supervision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. “Make sure that the Council of Europe, its organs and institutions, in accordance with their mandates, take utmost care to comply with their standards in the field of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as they do for Turkey and all its member states.”

What did the French union ask?

The Solidaires Union underlined in its letter that it has been 10 years since the lawyers of Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan applied to the European Court of Human Rights to end the isolation, and asked “the reason for the delay in this file, which should be a priority”.

The letter added that “the release of Abdullah Öcalan is an imperative for any political solution for the Kurdish people in Turkey and also in the Middle East,” and reminded that “Turkey has systematically violated the European Court of Human Rights, the Council of Europe and the UN legislation regarding detention conditions and should, therefore, be imposed sanctions.”

Solidaires called on the Council of Europe to “support the demand for the release of Abdullah Öcalan and all political prisoners” of the Kurdish people.