Mehmet Öcalan, the brother of Abdullah Öcalan, who held a family visit with him, issued a critical warning. Mehmet Öcalan spoke to ANF about the meeting held at Imralı Type F High Security Prison and said that “keeping him any longer under these isolation conditions and in an environment with high humidity poses a vital risk.”
Had undergone cataract surgery
Mehmet Öcalan stated that on March 21, he traveled to Imralı together with his nephew Ali Öcalan, the son of their sister Fatma Öcalan, as well as lawyers from the Asrın Law Office. He said that Abdullah Öcalan met with him and his nephew for one hour, and with his lawyers for another hour. Noting that he learned Abdullah Öcalan had undergone eye surgery, Mehmet Öcalan said that “he has had a long-standing problem with his eyes. It runs in our family. He said that he underwent cataract surgery again.”
Assessed Kurdish language and culture
Mehmet Öcalan said that political issues were also discussed during the meeting. He also said: “He celebrated our Newroz and our holiday. He conveyed his Newroz message. We spoke about the process. In an implicit manner, he indicated that there could be certain developments within a week. He said that his contributions to peace continue and that he works for this 24 hours a day. However, he also emphasized that this process cannot progress unilaterally. He said that he is doing everything he can for a solution to develop in all four parts of Kurdistan. He once again focused on the issue of women, both in terms of the process and in general. During the meeting, we particularly addressed the issue of Kurdish language and culture. I told him that we are at a very critical moment in terms of the Kurdish language. I said that 80 percent of Kurds have lost their language and culture. He reminded us that they have been struggling for 50 years to ensure that the Kurdish language and culture do not disappear, and that they will continue to do so. He said that the Kurdish language must be protected by law. He stated that education in the mother tongue must be ensured. It seems that what I said stayed on his mind, as he later discussed this issue with his lawyers as well. He made particular evaluations on the protection of the Kurdish language and cultural values.”
Öcalan must be urgently moved from Imralı
Mehmet Öcalan drew attention to the fact that there has been no change in the isolation conditions of Abdullah Öcalan in Imralı and stated that he observed these conditions affecting his health. Summarizing the severity of the conditions in which Abdullah Öcalan is held by saying, “Even iron would decay if kept under these conditions for 28 years,” Mehmet Öcalan said that “as someone who has visited him the most over 28 years, I can say that during this meeting I found him physically both aged and worn down. Yet there are only two years between us. His morale was good, and apart from his eyes, he did not mention anything regarding his health. But personally, I observed that he is struggling at this stage. I saw that these isolation conditions, which have become systematic in Imralı, have worn him down. He is 77 years old, and it is no longer acceptable for him to be kept under these isolation conditions and high humidity. As his family, we are also against this. Being held under these conditions now poses a vital risk. I also want to address the state from here: the President is a bridge between peoples; he is trying to resolve an issue that no one else has been able to solve, and he is doing so alone under these heavy conditions, the state must take this into account. These isolation conditions must be changed urgently. For him to remain under these conditions any longer is very risky for his health. Saying this is, above all, my human duty. Some commentators may say that Imralı is safe, but I say this clearly: if he remains there, there is a life-threatening risk. I say this as someone who has visited the island the most. He is now 77 years old. The President’s physical conditions must be urgently changed, and he must be removed from Imralı.”