AMED – Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD) member Salih Tekin stated taht the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe must put pressure on Turkey to implement the “right to hope”.
Turkey is not making any arrangements regarding the “violation” judgements of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on aggravated life imprisonment without the possibility of release. The ECtHR found that aggravated life imprisonment sentence given to Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan in 2014 violated the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment in the Europen Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).With its judgement of violation, the ECtHR asked Turkey to regulate the “right to hope”. However, no regulation has been made on the right in question for 11 years.
The “right to hope” is on the agenda of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The Committee met on 15 September. An interim decision is expected at the meeting which will end today.
‘THE PENAL SYSTEM SHOULD BE REVIEWED’
Salih Tekin, a lawyer from the Amed (Diyarbakır) Branc of the ÖHD, said that the non-implementation of the ECtHR judgement for 11 years cannot be handled separately from political conditions. Tekin said that the committee could put political pressure on Turkey and force diplomatic channels to take steps quickly.
“The committee must put pressure on the government to make legal arrangements on the ‘right to hope’,” he added.
Tekin stressed that the “right to hope” of thousands of prisoners besides Abdullah Ocalan was violated, and said that a possible regulation would positively affect other prisoners as well. Tekin stated that in addition to the “right to hope”, the penal execution system which violates the principle of equality, should also be reviewed and pointed to the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission established in the Parliament. Stating that Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan should speak in order for the peace and democratic society process to proceed faster, Tekin said: “Mr Abdullah Öcalan's suggestions and evaluations regarding both the process and the general process are paving the way for the commission.”
‘RIGHT TO HOPE DECISION MUST BE IMPLEMENTED’
Tekin underlined that the “right to hope” must be implemented and judicial arrangements must be made in order to ensure the success of the process and the democratisation of Turkey. He said that political parties, non-governmental organisations and other groups should also take initiatives to force Turkey.