No bargaining to end hunger strikes: BDP

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Ministry of Justice assigns a new boat for transfers to the prison on İmralı Island. DHA photo

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chairman Selahattin Demirtaş has said there was no bargaining to end hungers strikes.

The recent atmosphere would take a couple of weeks after ending hungers strikes, and the lawyers of Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the oulawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) who is serving a life sentence, should be allowed to İmralı Island “ending isolation on him” within this period, Demirtaş told a group of journalist yesterday.

Government officials unofficially told them earlier that “isolation” would not continue, he noted. He underlined that the government could not show a legal base for hampering Öcalan see his lawyers.
Öcalan should meet with his lawyers since the law does not prevent meeting with counsel after sentencing, Öcalan’s lawyer told the Hürriyet Daily News yesterday.

Every prisoner has the right to defense, said Rezan Sarıcan from Asrın Law Office.

Moreover, Öcalan has four cases pending at the European Court of Human Rights, Sarıcan said, adding that they had made two more applications that the court has not yet accepted or rejected.

If Öcalan could start to meet his lawyers, a positive atmosphere would be reflected outside, said Demirtaş. “Even ceasefire may come to the agenda,” he stated.

As long as suitable conditions are provided for him to make such a call,” he said.

Meanwhile, a BDP delegation -- composed of Ayla Akat Ata, İdris Balüken and Murat Bozlak -- on Tuesday held a meeting with Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin. As well as Öcalan’s isolation, the health situation of the hunger strikers who ended their strike over the weekend on their 68th day was raised by the BDP deputies during the meeting.