Medya Üren

 

MARDİN - Reacting to the isolation that started against PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı and spread to all prisons, politicians, and activists emphasized that if there is no raised voice today, it might be late tomorrow.

 

While the aggravated isolation on Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in Imralı for 22 years, continues, no news has been taken for seven months. Regarding the isolation on PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Mardin Provincial Co-chair Şükran Erol, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Provincial Co-chair Remziye Abika and Free Women’s Movement (TJA) activist Jiyan Öner spoke to JINNEWS.

 

DBP Mardin Provincial Co-chair Şükran Erol evaluated the isolation that started in Imralı and spread to all prisons and said, ‘’This isolation shows the situation in Turkey. I was also in prison eight years ago. The existing isolation became more and more severe. The conditions when we were in prison do not exist now. Family visits and inner meetings are limited, they are exiled, oppression and violence are committed. While we see their arrest as an injustice, they are now under a heavy isolation’’.

 

‘The solution is in Imralı’

 

Saying that the 22-year isolation on Abdullah Öcalan has prevented the solution of the problems in the Middle East, Şükran said, ‘’The more the isolation is deepened, the peace and tranquility will be handcuffed. We have all witnessed the solution process. Although the process was disrupted by the government, hope grew among the people at that time. It was an important step towards peace. With the breakdown of the process, the isolation was aggravated, and Turkey began to experience great turmoil. This continues until now. We say that the solution is in Imralı. It is necessary to take a step immediately’’.

 

‘We will win against isolation’

 

HDP Provincial Co-chair Remziye Abika also stated that the government’s hostility towards the Kurds has turned into isolation today. ‘’Kurds have always faced with violence and hostility. They are disturbed from our language, our culture, our existence. They cannot tolerate us. Now they continue this hostility with isolation. Now there is torture, harassment and rape in prisons. This reminds us of the 90’s. They want to be bow down us with the same methods. However, we will win today, just as we succeeded in those years. We will win against oppression and isolation,’’ Remziye said.

 

‘Isolation is a crime against humanity’

 

Stating that she made a call as a woman, Remziye said, ‘’We all need to stand up. I will also oppose isolation for my children. Because it will affect our future as well. If we are not raised our voice today, it might be late tomorrow. I say this for all peoples, if the Kurdish people are being targeted today, it will be turned to them tomorrow. Isolation is a crime against humanity. Let’s all together oppose the isolation imposed in prisons and on all peoples’’.

 

‘There is rape in prisons’

 

 TJA activist Jiyan Öner stated that the isolation affects women especially today. Drawing attention to the rape that Garibe Gezer was subjected to in Kandıra Prison, Jiyan said, ‘’Isolation is applied to society and women. We witnessed this in the example of Garibe Gezer. Harassment and rape in Turkey are wanted to be reflected as something normal. With impunity policies, rape perpetrators are released. There are being created justifications for their release. But today, this incident is taking place under their watch. I wonder what justification will be found for this, how will they reflect it like a normal thing?’’

 

‘We do not accept isolation’

 

Noting that isolation, harassment, rape and torture are crimes under the law, Jiyan said, ‘’However, they do not recognize their own laws. We never accept these. This is the greatest violence against women. They do everything to break the will of the woman. We do not accept these attacks. As women, we will show our reaction against this’’.