WAN - İsa Demirağaç, whose brother has been in prison for 27 years and whose son has been imprisoned for 12, has called for the release of all political prisoners, saying: “You cannot release some while keeping others in prison, and no one will accept that. 

 

The 12-article framework law prepared as part of the Peace and Democratic Society Process has passed Parliament with 467 votes. The law has now been published in the Official Gazette and is expected to take effect. A large number of prisoners are expected to be released under the law. Families with relatives in prison have called for its immediate implementation.

 

Due to restrictions in the law, many prisoners will not be eligible to benefit from it. One of them is Beşir Demirağaç, who was detained in the Kurdistan Region in 1999 and subsequently handed over to Turkey. After being sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, Demirağaç was sent to prison, where he later developed health problems. He is currently being held at Tekirdağ Type F High-Security Prison. İsa Demirağaç, whose brother Beşir has been in prison for 27 years and whose son Malik Demirağaç has been imprisoned for 12 years at Van Type F Prison, spoke about their health and the framework law.

 

Demirağaç said his brother Beşir Demirağaç has been suffering from kidney problems for years, adding: “The country has been at peace since the peace process began. Since then, no mother has had to mourn the loss of a guerrilla, a soldier, a police officer or anyone else. My brother has been away from home for 27 years. They all walked this path with determination. Those who fought for their rights are in prison based on other people’s false statements. Under no law can anyone be imprisoned solely on the basis of statements. All political prisoners should be released, especially those who are ill.”

 

HE CAN ONLY VISIT HIS BROTHER ONCE A YEAR

 

Demirağaç said he can only visit his brother once a year because of the distance to the prison and added: “My brother calls once a week. I can only go and see him once a year. The last time I went was during the Ramadan Bayram. I go once a year. He was transferred from here to Tekirdağ Type F Prison. It’s a long way away, it has become much harder for us to visit him since he was transferred to Tekirdağ. We worry about his situation. When we talk on the phone, he is the one who gives us moral support.”

 

‘WE HAVE NEVER GIVEN UP ON OUR CAUSE’

 

Recalling that his son was also unjustly arrested in 2014, Demirağaç said: “My son was on trial for nine years before he was sentenced. We have faced many difficulties, but we never gave up on our cause, not even a single day. We are hopeful about the Peace and Democratic Society Process. We have unwavering faith in Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan. From the very beginning, we have hoped and believed that all prisoners would be released. The weapons have been burned; let the people in prison be released as well. Hundreds of people are in prison today simply because they said, ‘I am Kurdish.’ Our wish is that no one should suffer any longer.  You cannot release some while keeping others in prison, and no one will accept that.”