The campaign "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, democratic solution to the Kurdish issue", launched on 10 October 2023 to ensure the physical freedom of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, is entering its 3rd year. 

 

Within the scope of the campaign, which was launched with statements made simultaneously in 74 centres in different countries around the world on the occasion of Abdullah Öcalan's 74th birthday, a wide range of people including academics, journalists, non-governmental organisations, political parties, parliamentarians, rights activists, philosophers, Nobel Peace Prize winners, women's organisations and representatives of indigenous peoples supported the campaign. 

 

Zübeyde Zümrüt, Co-Chair of the Congress of Democratic Societies of Kurdistan in Germany (KCDK-E), reminded that the campaign will enter its 3rd year on 10 October, leaving behind its 2nd year, and said that they will continue their actions and activities. Stating that they will continue the campaign until the isolation is lifted, Zübeyde Zümrüt stated that their main goal is the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, "the interlocutor of the Kurdish issue and the architect of the solution". 

 

Zübeyde Zümrüt stated that Abdullah Öcalan's ideas have found a response in the world and that the conspiracy was nullified with the struggle and that the freedom struggle against the conspiracy has turned into an organisation of freedom in the world.

 

Zübeyde Zümrüt stated that Abdullah Öcalan's ideas have found a response in the world and that the conspiracy was nullified with the struggle and that the freedom struggle against the conspiracy has turned into an organisation of freedom in the world. 

 

'ISOLATION CONTINUES'

 

Zübeyde Zümrüt stated that the protests in Europe for the last 2 years have been organised within the scope of the campaign and added that the isolation of Öcalan for 27 years has turned into a political crisis. 

 

She said: "While Leader Apo is waging a serious change, transformation and intellectual struggle against absolute isolation in İmralı, the peoples are united around his paradigm and freedom manifesto. The peoples no longer accept that Leader Apo should remain in Imrali and the campaign and determined struggle that has been going on for 2 years has partially yielded results. I say partially, because with Mr Öcalan's call on 27 February, some steps were taken to solve the Kurdish question. There were some meetings afterwards, but this is not a result, so the isolation continues."

 

Pointing out that a year has passed since Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli's remarks on Abdullah Öcalan's "right to hope", Zübeyde Zümrüt emphasised that if a call is made, the right to hope must be implemented and concrete steps must be taken. 

 

Zübeyde Zümrüt criticised the decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to give Turkey another deadline for the regulation of the "right to hope" and stated that the reason for the failure to fulfil the decision was the lack of a solution to the Kurdish issue. Zübeyde Zümrüt also noted that the decision was a political decision. 

 

'THE STATE SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE LEGAL STEPS'

 

Pointing to the steps taken following Abdullah Öcalan's call, Zübeyde Zümrüt stated that Öcalan and the PKK did what they had to do and that the problem should now be solved at the table. 

"Leader Apo is still being held in İmralı and his family, delegation or lawyers can meet him whenever the state wants. Even on this issue, we see that the state has its own approach. The state should take legal steps as soon as possible," she said.  

 

BIG MARCH ON 8 NOVEMBER 

 

Zübeyde Zümrüt said that they will hold a big march in Cologne, Germany on 8 November as part of the campaign and concluded: "The march will include the Kurdish people and their friends, different non-governmental organisations, political parties and internationalists. Our aim is the freedom of Leader Apo. This campaign will continue on a global scale until we achieve the freedom of Leader Apo. In this sense, the message we will give on 8 November is very important and we expect everyone to participate with this sensitivity."

 

MA / Esra Solin Dal