Bahçeli had called on PKK leader Öcalan! Can Öcalan take the podium in Parliament? The Anti-Terror Law detail...

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli's call to PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan has caused a shockwave in politics. 

In his statement, Bahçeli said, "If the isolation of the terrorist leader is lifted, let him come and speak at the TBMM DEM Party group meeting. Let him shout that terrorism has completely ended and the organization has been disbanded. If he shows this resolve and determination, the path should be opened wide for the necessary legal arrangements regarding the use of the 'Right to Hope' and for him to benefit from it."

Following Bahçeli's statement, it became a matter of curiosity whether the terrorist leader could speak in Parliament. 

DW Turkish reporter Alican Uludağ drew attention to the 4th paragraph of Article 17 of the Anti-Terror Law in a post he shared on X.

'HE CANNOT SPEAK IN THE TBMM'

Uludağ noted the following:

Devlet Bahçeli has officially promised "freedom" to Abdullah Öcalan in exchange for "disbanding the PKK." In other words, Bahçeli said the following:

“I am also addressing those who say that nothing will come of this if the terrorist leader is not involved. If the isolation of the terrorist leader is lifted, let him come and speak at the DEM Party group in the TBMM, and shout that terrorism has completely ended and the organization has been disbanded. If he shows this resolve and determination, the path should be opened wide for the necessary legal arrangements regarding the use of the right to hope and for him to benefit from it."

However, even if the "isolation" of Abdullah Öcalan is lifted, he cannot leave prison. For this, the President would need to issue a pardon. Otherwise, he cannot come and speak at the DEM Party Group in the TBMM. 

'THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOT PERMITTED IT'

The real issue is the matter Bahçeli calls the "right to hope." In its ruling on March 18, 2014, in the case of Öcalan (No. 2) v. Turkey, the ECHR ruled that there was a violation of the convention because Öcalan's aggravated life sentence was executed without the possibility of parole under the scope of the "right to hope." The ECHR had requested that Öcalan's "conditional release be reviewed at least every 25 years." This period expired on February 15, 2024. However, the government, citing the current execution law, did not allow Öcalan to benefit from this right.

'HE HAS EVEN RISKED RELEASING ÖCALAN'

For him to benefit from the "right to hope" mentioned in Bahçeli's statement, a legal change must be made in Turkey. And Bahçeli has openly given Öcalan a promise on this matter. 

In fact, this statement was made by Bahçeli in line with an agreement made with Erdoğan. Their goal is to win over the DEM Party and the Kurds in exchange for a new constitution and paving the way for Erdoğan's candidacy once again.

In other words, the government, which had Osman Öcalan appear on TRT to win past elections, has apparently seen that this would not be enough, and for the sake of their seats, they have this time risked even releasing Abdullah Öcalan.

ANTI-TERROR LAW AND EXECUTION LAW

For Abdullah Öcalan to benefit from conditional release, the 4th paragraph of Article 17 of the Anti-Terror Law must be repealed. 

That article stipulates that those sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment instead of the death penalty cannot benefit from conditional release and will remain in prison for life. 

If this provision is repealed, the time Öcalan would remain in prison would drop to 36 years. And he could be released by 2035 at the latest.

Some articles of the Execution Law, including provisional Article 2, also need to be repealed, and Turkey needs to determine its own duration within the scope of the "right to hope."

News Source: 12punto