The actions and activities carried out by the Italian Time for Freedom for Öcalan Committee within the scope of the campaign launched internationally on 10 October demanding “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish problem” continue.

A conference in two sessions titled “Political prisoners and prison system in Turkey” and “Civil rights and freedoms in Turkey” will be held at Roma Tre University today, Tuesday 14 November, at 3.30pm.

The conference will be at the Aula Magna of the law department of University of Roma Tre, Via Ostiense 159.

In the presentation of the conference, the organizers write: “In both crises that have shaken the international community in the last period, the Republic of Turkey has tried to carve out a leading role by proposing itself as a neutral nation respecting human rights, and thus capable of obtaining concessions and mediating agreements between all parties in conflict.

However, within national borders, human rights, particularly of journalists, activists and opposition politicians, are systematically violated. This situation is well represented by the condition of total isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan, Ömer Hayri Konar, Veysi Aktaş and Hamili Yıldırım, detained in the İmralı maximum security prison.”

The organizers added: “Even outside its borders, the Turkish government has been responsible for various violations of human rights, as demonstrated by the bombing campaign that the Turkish air force carried out between 5 and 10 October 2023 in Northern and Eastern Syria, and targeting energy infrastructures in Hesekê, Qamishlo and Amûdê.

With this conference we intend to discuss with various experts the current human rights situation in Turkey and the prospects for the future.”

Program:

Political prisoners and the prison system in Turkey

Institutional greetings: Massimiliano Fiorucci

Introduction: Prof. Enrica Rigo

Mauro Palma – Jurist

Marco Grimaldi – Deputy Group Leader of the Green and Left Alliance in Parliament

Newroz Uysal Aslan – HEDEP MP in Turkey

Faik Ozgur Erol – Ocalan’s lawyer

Arturo Salerni – Lawyer

Civil rights and political freedom in the Republic of Turkey

Zerocalcare – Artist

Amedeo Ciaccheri – President of Rome Municipality VIII

Zilan Diyar – Kurdish Women’s Movement

Giovanni Russo Spena – Spokesperson for the “Freedom for Ocalan” committee

Claudio Marotta – Leader of the Greens and Left in the Lazio Regional Council