Minister Gül: Ban on Öcalan Lifted; Lawyer Sarıca: Ban Still in Effect

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Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül has announced that the ban preventing Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), from meeting his lawyers in İmralı Prison has been lifted. Gül has stated that "the decisions regarding the meeting ban have been revoked and a meeting opportunity has been provided."

Minister Gül has also indicated that the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture inspected the İmralı Prison on May 7.

Öcalan was allowed to meet his lawyers on May 2 with the special permission of the Ministry of Justice after eight years. The details of this meeting as well as the message of Öcalan were shared with the public in a statement for the press held in İstanbul on May 6.

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Lawyer Sarıca: The ban is de facto in effect

Speaking to bianet after the statement of Minister Gül, Rezan Sarıca, the lawyer of Öcalan, has stated that they announced the most recent situation in their statement for the press on May 6 and added that they will release a written statement regarding the recent developments.

Indicating that their last two applications to meet Öcalan have not been accepted yet, Sarıca has underlined that the ban is de facto in effect.

Statement by the Asrın Law Bureau

Shortly after Öcalan's lawyer Sarıca has spoken to bianet about the issue, the Asrın Law Bureau has released a written statement.

In their statement, the lawyers have stated the following:

"After our meeting on May 2, 2019, a new meeting can still not be held despite our applications that we have renewed every day.

"As for the meetings of Öcalan with his family members, they are still being prevented with a court ruling on the ground of a new disciplinary punishment given to him on April 22, 2019.

"As it has also been indicated in the statement of Ministry of Justice, since the decision of ban, which is already against the law, has been lifted, we have to state that he has to have periodical meetings with his lawyers.

"It is a legal obligation to grant Öcalan his rights as a whole, including his right to meet with his lawyers and family as well as his right of communication by letter, phone and the like." (HA/SD)