Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Şahin said the allegations of torture regarding the imprisoned leader of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Öcalan, were “entirely baseless”.

Şahin told in the interview he gave to İsmail Küçükkaya and Ersin Bal of daily Akşam that they would give the necessary permission if the Human Rights Commission of the Parliament demanded it.

Şahin made the following comment in the interview:

“The allegations of torture regarding the person kept in the Imralı Prison are entirely baseless. The groups whose goals are known want to stir the country with this baseless allegation. The Imrali Prison is inspected by the international institutions from time to time. The deputies of the Democratic Society Party ask why they are not allowed, when this prison is open to the international institutions. Up until today, we have not received any such requests from the Parliament. If the Human Rights Commission of the Parliament want to do an inspection in the Imrali Prison, we will evaluate it and give the necessary permission.”

Birdal had said “We have proposed it to the Commission” 

Akın Birdal, Diyarbakır deputy for the Democratic Society Party (DTP), had said that they had made a proposal, together with Abdurrahman Kurt, the Diyarbakır deputy of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), to the Human Rights Commission of the Parliament about forming a group to send it to the Imralı Prison. Abdurrahman Kurt is also the spokesperson for the Human Rights Commission of the Parliament.

On October 18, Öcalan’s lawyers had announced that he had informed them of physical violence and death threats against him, demanding an investigation.

DTP’s Diyarbakır deputy Aysel Tuğluk had asked in the motion she had given to the Prime Minister whether or not the allegations of physical violence against Öcalan were investigated, if the Öcalan was heard, if the camera images of his cell were checked and why these results were not shared.

The Commission for Prevention of Torture (CPT) of the Council of Europe has come to Ankara on October 21 to discuss the allegations of torture. (TK/TB)