Bahçeli defends Öcalan's İmralı residence: 'It's 250 square meters, not a villa'

Rastinews — MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, speaking to journalist Ceyhun Bozkurt, rejected the "villa" characterization that emerged from remarks by journalist Nagehan Alçı. "There's no such thing as a villa. A 250-square-meter residence was built," Bahçeli said.

Bahçeli said the structure sits within the İmralı prison complex, on an island surrounded by water on all sides. Noting that Öcalan has been imprisoned for 26 years and is aging, Bahçeli explained the purpose of the residence amid the process of disbanding the organization: "A residence was built so he can hold his meetings there and pass on his messages. When the time comes, he can also meet with journalists."

"No difference between the 2025 and February 2026 statements"

Bahçeli said there was no difference between Öcalan's 2025 statement and his February 2026 statement, and that his continued backing of the process to dissolve the organization was "valuable." The MHP leader added that his earlier proposal for a "peace process politicization coordination" body still stood.

Official statements contradict each other

Bahçeli's remarks marked the third official or semi-official version of events. On December 17, 2025, the Justice Ministry's General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses had announced that no "villa or private residence" had been built or allocated at İmralı. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said something similar on April 1, stating "there's no such thing there, it's an administrative complex." Former AKP lawmaker Şamil Tayyar, however, had claimed the structure was a duplex villa with 250 square meters of enclosed space plus a garden twice that size, equipped with video-call and internet infrastructure.