Ankara- 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 25 days. Holding placards reading, “Isolation is a crime against humanity” and “Law must be

implemented in Imrali”, HDP MPs Murat Çepni, Hasan Özgüneş, Muazzez Orhan, Serpil Kemalbay,

Nusrettin Maçin, İmam Taşçıer, Kemal Peköz, Şevin Coşkun, Rıdvan Turan and Ali Kenanoğlu issued a

press statement in front of the parliament.

In the statement, HDP MPs demanded the implementation of the Constitution and the end of the

isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan. “We have made calls for 25 days; however, we have not received

a response yet. People are busy with elections. We are addressing our people: If we want to get rid of

this government, we must say no to this government's approach to the Kurdish question and war

policies. The place where all of these knot together is the Imrali Prison,” the statement said.

‘Take an immediate step’

Recalling that no news has been received from Ömer Hayri Konar, Veysi Aktaş and Hamili Yıldırım, who

have been imprisoned in the Imrali prison, for 22 months, the statement said, “Standing against the

isolation means opposing all anti-democratic practices; it means enough is enough against those who

gain strength by waging war and shedding blood. We say once more again that our sit-in protest and

struggle against isolation will continue. Particularly the Ministry of Justice, those who do not respond to

our demand and continue to commit this crime will definitely give an account before our people. An

immediate step must be taken now. We expect all our people to raise their voices on this issue.”