Dr. Beppe Savary-Borioli, head of IPPNW (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War) Switzerland, along with representative Marianne Kürsteiner, sent a letter regarding the “Right to Hope” to Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, members of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and Switzerland’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Claude Wild.
The letter expressed concern over Turkey’s refusal to comply with European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings and highlighted the importance of Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom.
The letter said: “As the Swiss section of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), recipient of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize, we wish to express our deep concern over Turkey’s persistent failure to comply with the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding life sentences, particularly in the case of Abdullah Öcalan.
Turkey is not honoring its commitments
In 2014, the Court ruled that life sentences without the possibility of review violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In September 2024, the Committee of Ministers gave Turkey one year to implement these rulings and carry out the necessary legal reforms. However, the Turkish government’s recent announcement that it will refuse to apply the “Right to Hope” constitutes a blatant breach of its commitments as a member state of the Council of Europe.”
A hope for the Middle East
The letter continued: “We would also like to stress that Mr. Abdullah Öcalan recently made a historic call to end the guerrilla war, announced the dissolution of the PKK, and offered peace to Turkey. His release could trigger a dynamic of hope and reconciliation in the Middle East, similar to the process set in motion in South Africa after Nelson Mandela’s release.
We therefore strongly urge the Committee of Ministers to take all necessary measures to compel Turkey to implement the Court’s rulings. This issue is not only about the human rights of individual prisoners but also about the credibility and integrity of the Council of Europe and its institutions.”
The Right to Hope must be enforced immediately
The letter added: “As physicians, we particularly emphasize the humanitarian dimension: decades of isolation and hopelessness constitute a cruel and inhuman form of treatment that must urgently be brought to an end.
We therefore respectfully request that you act decisively to ensure the immediate implementation of the “Right to Hope” in Turkey, especially in Abdullah Öcalan’s case, creating the conditions for the review of his detention and possible release.”