News Center- The Kurdistan Women's Communities (KJK) has released a written statement on the session held by the Committee of Ministers (CoM), the Council of Europe's decision-making body, on September 17. “There is a special inhuman regime in Imrali, a system of absolute lack of communication and torture on leader Apo. The genocidal fascist Turkish state and the AKP-MHP government are responsible for this genocidal system. All our people, including women and youth will not be free unless this system is not abolished,” the statement said.

On September 17, 2024, the CoM held a meeting to discuss the isolation imposed on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan in the prison island of Imrali and the violation of his “right to hope”. The life sentence against Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan without prospect of parole or release is against the principle of “right to hope”, the committee indicated on September 20, announcing that the committee would issue an interim decision in September 2025 after monitoring the implementation of the ECHR decision for a year.

“It has been 42 months since leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) has had contact with the outside world. In addition, an aggravated isolation has been imposed on him in the prison island of Imrali for 26 years. This is an attempt to isolate him and his people from the whole world,” the statement said, adding:

“The system in the prison island of Imrali is an attack on the will of the Kurdish people who resist for their existence and freedom. The existence of this system is an attack on Kurdish women, youth, culture, language, beliefs, lifestyle, existence and freedom. The isolation on a person recognized as a leader by millions is a torture against millions.”

‘We demand the physical freedom for our leader’

The system implemented in the prison island of Imrali tests humanity, its existence and meaning, the statement stressed. “Therefore, the friends of Kurdish people have been holding demonstrations, protests and other actions all over the world, calling for an end to the isolation imposed on leader Apo. Well-known scientists, artists, and politicians have written letters, demanding physical freedom for our leader. 69 Nobel Laureates also wrote a letter, demanding the release of our leader. International organizations, our people and their friends in four parts of Kurdistan and many countries have held marches, protests and released press statements demanding freedom for our leader. People all around the world demand freedom for leader Apo.

“Our leader is the creator of the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ slogan. This slogan has become a slogan chanted by people demanding freedom.”

Mentioning the disciplinary punishments issued against Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, the statement said, “His lawyers and family members have not been allowed to see him under the pretext of disciplinary punishments. It should be known that leader Apo is the Kurdish people's only hope for a free and meaningful life. The Committee of Ministers must take an urgent action to end the isolation imposed on our leader.”