Ozgur Ozel: My Goal Isn't to Pit Ocalan Against Demirtas, It's Democratization
New Party leader Ozgur Ozel told T24 he does not aim to set Abdullah Ocalan against Selahattin Demirtas. Ozel called for implementation of the democratization heading in the parliamentary commission's report.
RastinewsNew Party leader Ozgur Ozel responded to criticism of his earlier remarks on Abdullah Ocalan's living conditions on Imrali, in an interview with T24's Murat Sabuncu. "My concern is democratization steps," Ozel said.
"I have no intention of pitting them against each other"
Ozel said his previous comments were not meant to set Selahattin Demirtas against Ocalan. "Rather than Ocalan getting a new home on the island, I prioritize Demirtas, Figen Hanim and all political prisoners getting back to their homes," he said.
Article seven: Democratization
Ozel pointed to the seventh article of the parliamentary commission's report, which concerns democratization. He said he frames Demirtas's release around the implementation of Constitutional Court (AYM) and European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings. Once those rulings are implemented, he said, Osman Kavala, the Gezi Park defendants and Demirtas would also be released.
Ozel argued that as the debate keeps focusing on Ocalan's status, living conditions and communication rights, public support for the process erodes. He said democratization steps would benefit every segment of society, and that once such steps were taken, the problem of state-appointed trustees replacing elected mayors would also disappear.
DEM Party had objected
In an earlier interview with Murat Aksoy of Yeni Arayis, Ozel had said: "What will contribute to the process is not a new residence for Ocalan, but Demirtas going home." DEM Party Co-Chair Tulay Hatimogullari objected to those remarks, saying it was wrong to pit Ocalan against Demirtas, since the two have played different roles and carried different missions in the struggle.
The debate grew after MHP leader Devlet Bahceli's long-running push to grant Ocalan a formal "status." Last week, Chief Advisor to the Turkish President Mehmet Ucum announced that Ocalan would take part in a "Disarmament and Strategic Coordination Subcommission."
Source: T24