HÊLÎN EHMED

Sulaymaniyah – Although the "right to hope" is recognized in international and domestic law, it is not implemented in Turkey. While statements regarding the "right to hope," seen as part of the "peace process" carried out in the country, have been made frequently in recent times, it is being demanded that Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is held in isolation, be granted physical freedom in order for the process to proceed in a healthy manner.

International law expert and lecturer Şadiye Ebubekir stated that the Turkish state has turned the file of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan into a domestic law matter, thereby preventing other countries from intervening in the legal process. Şadiye Ebubekir emphasized that due to the sentence imposed, no one can intervene in the file, but that the “right to access hope” must absolutely be implemented.

According to the European Court of Human Rights ruling, every prisoner who has completed 25 years of a prison sentence must be released on the basis of this right. However, when it comes to Abdullah Öcalan, the Turkish state refuses to implement international laws. This constitutes a violation of legal texts. The Council of Europe has repeatedly warned Turkey, stating that regardless of whether the prisoner is political or not, no one can be held in prison for more than 25 years. Today, both the Kurdish people and the ECHR demand the implementation of the right to access hope for Abdullah Öcalan.

‘This right is an international law’

Recalling that the ECHR ruled that aggravated life imprisonment is contrary to human rights, Şadiye Ebubekir said: “The court stated that the purpose of prisons is rehabilitation, not restricting human rights. For this reason, the right to access hope was introduced. Every prisoner who has completed 20 years must be reintegrated into society through a supervised process. This right is an international law.” Stating that lawyers first demanded this right for Abdullah Öcalan in 2003, but it was rejected because he had only completed 5 years, Şadiye Ebubekir added: “In 2014, Turkey rejected the request on the grounds of his political identity. Article 95, paragraph 5 of the Turkish Constitution clearly states that in the case of a conflict between national and international laws, international laws shall prevail. However, the Turkish state does not fulfill this obligation. Öcalan’s file has been closed as a matter of domestic law.”

‘Öcalan carries out resistance through his writings’

Şadiye Ebubekir said that Abdullah Öcalan’s body may be in prison, but his ideas have spread throughout the world, and continued her speech with the following words:

“Öcalan carries out resistance through his writings, spreading an egalitarian and peaceful system of thought in the Middle East. His philosophy also plays a major role in educating new generations. For this reason, the Turkish state and occupying forces fear Öcalan’s liberation. Both the right to access hope and the peace process are great gains for the Kurdish people.”

‘The international public must be mobilized’

Şadiye Ebubekir concluded her remarks as follows: “In order for the right to access hope to be implemented, lawyers, human rights defenders, and the people must put pressure on Turkey. The international public must be mobilized. Unless economic, political, and diplomatic pressure is applied to Turkey, neither the right to access hope will be granted nor the peace process will advance. Therefore, international solidarity is essential for Abdullah Öcalan’s physical freedom.”