OPEN LETTER
Urgent Appeal to European Committee for the Prevention of Torture -CPT
Council of Europe / Conseil de l'Europe
F - 67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Tel
+33 (0)3 88 41 22 79
Fax
+33 (0)3 88 41 27 72
To CPT officials,
Re: Demand for urgent meeting with Abdullah Ocalan
As you are well aware, the unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey on the 15
th
of July, 2016. Even at this
early stage it is clear that this coup attempt will have significant reverberations.
When President Tayyip Erdogan took a decision to intensify the war on the Kurds and destroy
Kurdish towns and cities a year ago, he also moved to suppress Kurdish civil society. The immunities
of MPs were removed and Co-Mayors were being imprisoned and removed from their posts. The
suppression in Kurdish people was unmatched by any previous historical record.
It is these atrocities and anti-democratic policies implemented by the AKP in Turkey and Kurdistan
that paved the way to the coup attempt of 15 July. Following the failure of the coup, President
Erdogan has extended this destructive strategy all over Turkey.
We can say this with confidence that had the 7 June, 2015 election results been respected and the
conflict resolution process was continued, then there would not have even been a coup attempt. The
Kurdish question’s existence and a lack of democratisation in Turkey has always been a platform for
coups.
In these circumstances, we have grave concerns about the well being
of Mr. Abdullah Ocalan.
This
concern is shared by his family, his lawyers, the Kurdish people and the wider public. Unfortunately,
the pronouncements and actions of the government do little to allay these concerns.
During his meetings with his lawyers, the state and the HDP delegations, Mr Abdullah Ocalan had
always warned of this possibility of a coup 15 months ago. In such a situation of violence and
counter-violence, his safety would be under threat.
At this critical moment, we call upon the CPT to uphold its responsibilities. The CPT must eliminate
all concerns for Mr. Abdullah Ocalan’s safety and well-being. The CPT must meet with Mr. Ocalan
but also demand that his lawyers and family are allowed to meet with him too.
For millions of people, Mr Abdullah Ocalan is their political leader and his well-being is of the utmost
concern for them. Any hesitance and inaction by the CPT would aggravate the concerns which are
legitimate and humane. To alleviate these concerns, the CPT must act with the utmost urgency and
demand to meet Mr Abdullah Ocalan face to face at Imrali Island.
We look forward to an urgent action.
Yours sincerely