Human rights are not negotiable. They are accepted as fundamental, and that is the point. But, for the Turkish state, rights do not exist, and it seems that everything is open to negotiation. Besê Hozat (pictured), co-chair of the Executive Council of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) has revealed on Medya Haber that “A reliable source close to Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan has promised contact with Öcalan if the Kurdish movement makes certain concessions in return. First, a conversation with Öcalan’s brother could be arranged, and later with his legal team.”
Hozat and the Kurdish Movement have made very clear that they will not succumb to this bullying, and they reject outright this dirty deal. A statement rejecting the reported offer was read out at the vigil in Strasbourg yesterday
Throughout Öcalan’s imprisonment, visits from his family and lawyers have been difficult and restricted, and he has been allowed no communication at all with the outside world for nearly forty months.
The European Convention on Human Rights makes clear that everyone has a right to respect for their family life. ‘Everyone’ includes prisoners, who have a right to be visited by their family. The United Nations’ Mandela Rules for the treatment of prisoners state, ‘“’Disciplinary sanctions or restrictive measures shall not include the prohibition of family contact. The means of family contact may only be restricted for a limited time period and as strictly required for the maintenance of security and order.’
Access to lawyers is essential to maintain the right to a fair trial, and the Mandela rules also state that ‘Prisoners shall be provided with adequate opportunity, time and facilities to be visited by and to communicate and consult with a legal adviser of their own choice’.
This week, Turkey’s human rights violations are being examined in Geneva by the United Nations Committee Against Torture. When the UN’s Special Rapporteur raised the issue of Öcalan’s isolation, the Turkish delegation attempted to present the repeated visitor bans as all within the law. They can’t seriously expect anyone to believe this argument, but it will provide cover for those who would prefer not to upset the Turkish Government.