Anti-Torture Group Visits Rebel’s Prison

A European anti-torture delegation visited the prison island where Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan is being held. They are the first foreign officials to visit the heavily guarded Imrali island since he was jailed there. The team of 15 lawyers and doctors from the Council of Europe did not comment on the trip but is expected to prepare a report on Ocalan’s condition. It was unclear whether the delegation met with Ocalan. Turkey has declared Imrali off limits, but as a signatory of the council’s anti-torture pact, it was obliged to let the team go to the island. Meanwhile, the European Court of Human Rights said Turkey has advised it that lawyers for Ocalan could visit him on the island.