Written question asked by Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party) on Monday, 29 April 2019, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 May 2019 (named day). It was answered by Alan Duncan (Conservative) on Thursday, 2 May 2019 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Abdullah Öcalan

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the UK Government is taking in relation to the Turkish Government which is violating international human rights standards and breaching the regulations of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture by the continued imprisonment and torture of Kurdish political prisoner Abdullah Öcalan.

Answer: We consistently engage with the Turkish Government over human rights concerns, including on the treatment of prisoners. As my colleague Mark Field, Minister for Asia and the Pacific, made clear in the debate on the Kurds in the House on 10 April, “we expect Turkey to respect its international obligations with regard to prison conditions.” This includes acting on the recommendations of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) of the Council of Europe concerning isolation and access relating to Imrali prison where PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan is held. The PKK is a proscribed terrorist organisation in the EU whose violence we strongly condemn.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 248721
Session: 2017-19
Related items: Abdullah Öcalan
Monday, 8 July 2019
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Human rights Political prisoners Turkey European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Öcalan, Abdullah
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk