The backstage of İmralı is very different

They set forth that the administration behaves this way to satisfy the European Community, whose real intent is to release Öcalan. While there was no need for it, the administration has put itself into a surrendering position. The administration, except for the announcement by the Minister of Justice, has kept quiet. It did not explain carefully to the public why this step needed to be taken. It behaved as if it was doing something shameful. So what is the truth? I talked to those who know the subject closely and to the European Council’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture. To tell the truth, I could not understand why the administration behaves as if it was guilty.

Below you will read about the reality:

1. I would like to start with a correction. Some put forth that the attempt regarding Öcalan arises from the European Community. However, it has nothing to do with the EU. It totally stirs from the European Committee.

2. The European Committee has an agreement on preventing torture. Turkey has signed it as well, meaning it needs to keep to the rules.

3. In this agreement there are clauses determining the rights of the inmates and two of these clauses give Turkey a headache regarding Öcalan. One of them says, "The convict has the right to see his lawyers and family every two weeks." Special care is taken with those convicts kept in a single cell regarding up to one and half hours of walking in fresh air, talk to other convicts, and benefit from media like television or radio. The purpose is that the convict should not be excluded from social life or he becomes insane in case of long isolation.

4.Öcalan’s lawyers have been complaining to the European Court of Human Rights, or ECHR about Turkey for a long time. They state that Turkey does not keep to the agreement, their client is isolated and he cannot see his lawyers and family because of frequent breakdowns of transportation and that he is alone on the island experiencing bad treatment. The ECHR is waiting for a signal from the committee, which is the inspector of the agreement, to determine whether complaints are in place and whether to accept appeals concerning Turkey.

5. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture is an institution whose relations with the Turkish government have developed the best. It is a group that rejected the allegation that Öcalan was slowly poisoned by the Turkish government and gave prisons in Turkey a good grade. This group came to İmralı and examined Öcalan’s condition. It accepted the Turkish view that Öcalan could not be relocated to another prison because of security reasons and on the contrary suggested that they fix deficiencies resulting from the agreement, meaning visits absolutely have to be allowed, five or six more convicts to be brought to İmralı so Öcalan would have some people to talk to while taking a walk. This is what Turkey is trying to do at the moment. In other words, after allegations by Öcalan’s lawyers last year regarding "he is being poisoned," it now is trying to hinder the last application chance. By taking this precaution to invalidate this last complaint of "isolated." Thus, with technical arrangements it tries to prevent a conviction in a prospective lawsuit at the ECHR.

Frankly, they do what needs to be done.

But I do not understand why the administration behaves as if it was guilty and why it does not take any action to enlighten the public. Whereas, if they come out and say what I said above there would not be any problem left. The opposition surely would not come out and say," No harm let Turkey receive a fine. And be convicted by the European Court of Human Rights." Authorities in Strasbourg do not understand either. They say, "Turkey is doing the right thing, we do not understand why hell is being raised." I could not say, "We Turks are like that. We make life unbearable for ourselves even if it is in our interest." Anyhow, it is enough if you know the real dimension and reasons of this event.