Final Resolution
The International Conference on “Political Prisoners in Turkey: Where
goes the Path of Freedom and Peace”, discussed the issue of Kurdish
political prisoners and especially the issue of not hearing from Mr.
Abdullah Öcalan for 3 years, as well as the political solution to the
Kurdish question. Distinguished academics, union representatives,
political parties, human rights defenders, lawyers, municipal council
members and parliamentarians who attended our conference clearly
stated that the torture and illegal situation that Kurdish political
prisoners and Mr. Öcalan are subjected to is unacceptable.
All these personalities and representatives of institutions stated their
support to the campaign ‘Freedom for Öcalan and a political solution
to the Kurdish question’ campaign launched on October 10, 2023.
The participants are increasingly concerned about Mr. Öcalan’s security
and well-being. Isolation is internationally recognized as a form of
torture. For this form of torture to go on for three years is extremely
dangerous. Mr Öcalan is being held in solitary confinement with
massive effects on physical and mental health. We do not know
anything about Mr Öcalan’s condition beyond the fact that he has
recently received‘disciplinary measures’ to block meetings on false
pretenses and has allegedly been sent death threats.
EU Turkey
Civic Commission
CONTACT:
Prof. Kariane Westrheim
Mobil: 004797642088
CHAIR
•
KARIANE WESTRHEIM, Professor at
University of Bergen, Norway
SECRETARY GENERAL
•
MICHAEL GUNTER, Professor at
Tennessee Technological University,
US
BOARD MEMBERS
•
DERSIM DAGDEVIREN, KURD-AKAD,
Germany
•
DR. THOMAS JEFFREY MILEY,
Department of Sociology, Cambridge
University, UK
•
ESTELLA SCHMID, Peace in Kurdistan
Campaign, UK
PATRONS
•
ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS DESMOND
TUTU, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate,
South Africa
•
SHIRIN EBADI, Human Rights Lawyer
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Iran
•
BIANCA JAGGER, Council of Europe
Goodwill Ambassador, Chair of the
Bianca Jagger Human Rights
Foundation, UK
•
NOAM CHOMSKY, Laureate Professor
of Linguistics, University of Arizona
Departement of Linguistic, US
•
LEYLA ZANA, European Parliament's
Sakharov Prize for Freedom of
Thought, Rafto Prize Laureate, Turkey
•
BARONESS HELENA KENNEDY QC,
House of Lords, UK
•
CHRISTINE BLOWER, National
Education Union (NEU), International
Secretary, UK
•
MARY DAVIS, Visiting Professor of
Labour History, Royal Holloway,
University of London, UK
•
SIMON DUBBINS, UNITE International
Director, UK
•
JAMES KELMAN, Writer, UK
•
JONATHAN STEELE, Veteran foreign
correspondent and author, UK
•
DOUG NICHOLLS, General Secretary,
General Federation of Trade Unions,
UK
The conference also discussed further steps and reached the following
decisions:
1. The isolation on Mr. Öcalan must be lifted immediately and the
European Council must intervene to allow him to meet with his
family and lawyers.
2. Kurdish leader Mr. Abdullah Öcalan must be allowed to meet with
his lawyers and family and, ultimately, freed under conditions that
allow him to play a role in finding a just and democratic political
solution to Turkey’s decades-old
Kurdish conflict.
3.
In light of the seriousness of the recent threats to Mr. Öcalan’s life,
we call on the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe, the EU and the UN to organize
an urgent ad hoc mission to visit Abdullah Öcalan.
4. Initiating more efforts to make the alarming situation known to the
public in the international and local press.