Ankara- The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MPs have held a sit-in protest in front of the Ministry of Justice demanding an end to the isolation of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and an urgent visit to him in prison for 17 days. Holding placards reading, “Isolation is a crime against humanity” and “Law must be implemented in Imrali”, HDP MPs Muazzez Orhan, Remziye Tosun, Hüseyin Kaçmaz, Kemal Peköz, Erdal Aydemir, Nuran İmir, Celadet Gaydalı and Abdullah Koç issued a press statement at the Dikmen Gate of the parliament.

‘These policies are part of Kurdophobia’

The statement pointed out that the isolation continues to deepen across Türkiye and underlined that every prisoner has the right to visit, “However, this right is blocked in Imrali Prison.” The isolation imposed in Imrali has spread across Kurdistan and Türkiye, the statement said, “All people living in Türkiye have been suffering from this isolation. The deadlocks suffered by Türkiye, the political and economic crises are directly related to the isolation. These policies are part of Kurdophobia.”

‘Öcalan can achieve honorable peace’

“The calls of HDP MPs have been ignored for 17 days,” the statement said, “If there was no Kurdophobia, a meeting would be arranged with Mr. Öcalan, who said, ‘I will eliminate the conflict environment in one week’. However, the AKP-MHP government did not exhibit a serious stance despite all calls for peace. Mr. Öcalan can achieve honorable peace, the state must take these calls seriously.”