The 'Framework Law' prepared as part of a democratic solution to the Kurdish question and containing provisions concerning detainees and convicted prisoners, was approved by the General Assembly of Parliament. In Amed, relatives of prisoners commented on the legislation.

The families stressed that the legislation was important in terms of placing the process on a legal footing, but emphasized that the steps to be taken, and the decisions adopted needed to be inclusive.

'Two of my sons will be released, but I'm not happy'

While lawyers described the legislation as a “first step” and said its scope should be expanded, relatives of prisoners called for all political prisoners to be released and the prisons emptied.

Tekyeddin Sürme, whose two sons are imprisoned, said that although the legislation creates the possibility of release for some prisoners, it did not make them fully happy. “Yes, a law has been passed, but it is not the law we expected after two years. The state prepared the provisions according to its own interests. I have two sons who are imprisoned, and both of them fall within the scope of this legislation. But since the other prisoners will not be released, this does not make us very happy. We want all the prisoners, first and foremost our Leader, to be outside,” Sürme said.

All prisoners should be released

Sürme said that those released from prison should live together with society and that a similar approach should be adopted for those returning from exile. He said: “Our friends who will return from exile also need to come back here and live among the people, together with them. Freedom becomes a reality by living among the people and working together with them. First and foremost, we want a law to be passed for our Leader, and then for all our friends. The laws that are passed from now on should be more inclusive. This step must be followed by further steps, and all the prisons should be emptied. That is our greatest demand.”

Obstacles to democratic politics must be removed

Yusuf Erdoğan, a member of the Prison Commission of the Amed branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD), said that they had previously shared their views on the legislation with the public. He said: “We consider this law, particularly in terms of resolving the Kurdish question, to be a ‘first-step law.’ Of course, it has shortcomings. However, we believe these shortcomings must be addressed in the legislation that follows. Despite everything, we consider this legal step that has been taken to be valuable.”

Erdoğan said the legislation should be regarded as a starting point for resolving the problems and noted that it contained provisions contrary to the principle of equality guaranteed under Article 10 of the Constitution. He said: “For example, it is clear that the bill contains many provisions that are contrary to Article 10 of the Constitution, namely the principle of equality. Legal obstacles must also be removed regarding the right to engage in politics and the participation in democratic politics of prisoners released from prison. We have repeatedly stated that the obstacles preventing prisoners released from prison, as well as returning PKK militants, from participating in democratic politics must be removed as part of the aim of resolving the Kurdish question through democratic means.”

Nurcan Yalçın also assessed the framework law both as a relative of a prisoner and as a journalist. While noting that the legislation had shortcomings, Yalçın said it was important that many political prisoners currently in prison would be released. She added that “the fact that Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan and those who received aggravated life sentences before 2005 were excluded from the scope of the legislation has caused disappointment in society.”

The law must be expanded

Nurcan Yalçın said that statements had indicated that the legislation could be expanded in the coming period and therefore argued that, despite its shortcomings, the law should be regarded as a positive step. She said: “The framework law is now being regarded as the first concrete and positive step taken by the state within the framework of the Peace and Democratic Society Process. However, it is of course our hope that this law will be expanded further and that the other prisoners, as well as Kurdish People’s Leader Mr Abdullah Öcalan, will be included in its scope and attain their status and freedom.”