‘Special amnesty’ proposal for terrorist leader on the last day of the year: Bahçeli mentioned ‘right to hope’, DEM Party took action for Öcalan

New developments continue to emerge every day in the ‘new resolution process’ that began when MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli shook hands with DEM Party deputies at the opening of the TBMM.

In the following days, Bahçeli had proposed that terrorist leader Abdullah Öcalan speak in Parliament and benefit from the ‘right to hope,’ provided that he declares the dissolution of the PKK terrorist organization, and subsequently called for the DEM Party to visit İmralı to meet with Öcalan.

It has emerged that the DEM Party, which visited İmralı on December 28, prepared a legislative proposal providing a covert amnesty for terrorist leader Öcalan 3 days after this meeting.

According to a report by Sözcü, under the legislative proposal prepared by DEM Party Şırnak Deputy Nevroz Uysal Aslan, a ‘medical report stating that one cannot sustain their life alone in prison’ will be sufficient for release.

The proposer, DEM deputy Aslan, had said during the budget negotiations, “Give voice to Mr. Öcalan’s freedom and ideas.”

"HOSPITAL REPORTS SHOULD BE TAKEN AS THE BASIS"

The justification for the legislative proposal, which was referred to the TBMM Justice Commission on December 31, 2024, stated the following:

“Releases are being blocked for prisoners who are stated in Forensic Medicine reports to be unable to sustain their lives alone in prison, based on the ‘dangerousness’ assessment provided by prosecutors and law enforcement agencies. Human rights violations occur because the final decision on the postponement of sentences or the release of sick detainees and convicts is left to the discretion of law enforcement agencies, and independent institutions are unable to act as supervisors. The discretionary power granted to public prosecutors should be removed, and hospital reports should be taken as the basis.”

WHAT IS THE RIGHT TO HOPE?

The DEM Party had also prepared a ‘right to hope’ legislative proposal and submitted it to the TBMM last October, during the period when constitutional amendment discussions were taking place. The proposal requested conditional release for those sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment who have completed 25 years in prison. PKK leader Öcalan, who has been in prison since February 16, 1999, also falls within this scope as he has completed this period. The proposal, prepared by DEM Party Group Deputy Chairmen Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit and Sezai Temelli, envisions amendments to the Anti-Terror Law and the Law on Execution of Sentences and Security Measures. The provision, “A conditional release evaluation shall be conducted starting from the 25th year of the execution of the sentences of those who have been sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment or whose death sentences have been commuted to aggravated life imprisonment,” is being added to the law. 

News Source: 12punto