Zülkif Isgoren, brother of imprisoned Fırat Isgoren, asked: “The state imposes repentance on prisoners, but for what repentance? The state should say: we banned your language, we denied your rights, we threw you into prisons, we threw you into acid wells. And now we expect repentance from you.”
Fırat Isgoren, who was captured and wounded in Çewlig (Bingöl) in 2007 and sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, has been in prison ever since. His brother Zülkif Isgoren spoke to ANF.
Zülkif Isgoren, who also serves as an executive of MATUHAY-DER, said that in the process initiated by the call of Abdullah Öcalan, it is the state that must take steps, particularly regarding the prisoners.
Zülkif Isgoren stated that his brother, who was captured wounded, has undergone several surgeries, is now seriously ill, and cannot use his left arm. Drawing attention to his brother’s condition in Izmir Aliağa Type T Prison, Isgoren said: “A peace process has begun, but it has remained only in words. Families want and demand peace, but they have no faith in it. Mr. Bahçeli came forward and made a call, but when we look from the perspective of the Kurds, there is no step towards peace. If there is truly a peace process, sick prisoners must be released. Why do you not release those who have already completed 30 years of their sentence? As Kurdish families, we believe in Öcalan and in the Kurdish Freedom Movement.”
It is you who threw us into acid wells
Zülkif Isgoren opposed the imposition of repentance on prisoners and stressed that they would never accept submission. He continued: “We speak of peace, yet there is still war. They talk about repentance. We are not repentant, why should we be? We want to live our language and culture equally. Kurds want to live freely with their culture, their language, their religion, and their faith. We are not repentant. You impose repentance on prisoners in prison; repentance for what? What has the man done that he should repent? As long as we live, we will defend our land and our language. Repentance for what? In fact, it is you who should repent. We expect repentance from you. Come and say: for years we banned your language, denied your rights, threw you into prisons, and threw you into acid wells. We expect an apology from the other side. We have always extended our hand of brotherhood. But not submission. If there is to be repentance, it must come from them.”