A global campaign was launched on October 10, 2023, demanding an end to the isolation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in İmralı Type F High Security Prison and has not been heard from for 41 months, his physical freedom and a political solution to the Kurdish issue. Supporters of the Kurds made simultaneous statements in 74 centers around the world demanding "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, political solution to the Kurdish issue". Many prominent writers, journalists and artists supported the statements made in 74 centers in reference to Abdullah Öcalan's age. 

 

The first phase of the campaign ended with a final rally in Cologne, Germany, on February 17, attended by hundreds of thousands of people. On March 1, 2024, the second phase of the campaign was launched. In this context, many actions and events were organized in many parts of the world, especially in Kurdistan. The campaign, which has left its 10th month behind, is moving to a new phase. 

 

Some of the prominent actions and events of the campaign were as follows: 

 

October 10: Supporters of the Kurds, including intellectuals, politicians, lawyers and journalists, launched the campaign in 74 centers around the world. 

 

October 20: Kurds and their supporters organized a protest in front of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, France. 

 

October 21: In Shengal, Yazidi and Arab peoples announced their support for the campaign. A group of lawyers in the Federated Kurdistan Region also made a statement in support of the campaign.

 

October 28: In Istanbul, 78 names, including intellectuals, writers and journalists, announced a "Call for Peace" declaration. The statement emphasized the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue and the isolation in İmralı. 

 

October 29: In Sûr district of Amed (Diyarbakır), 172 institutions and organizations supported the campaign with the declaration "Call for freedom from now to the future". The declaration said: "It is time for Öcalan to meet directly with the peoples, and for his intellectual world and peace-building role to come to life." 

 

November 2: DEM Party MPs made a statement in front of the Parliament in Ankara and made an application to go to İmralı.

 

November 3: A human chain protest was organized in Lucerne, Switzerland. 

 

November 8: On the occasion of the anniversary of the day Abdullah Öcalan arrived in Italy, a press conference titled "Political Rights in Turkey and the Abdullah Öcalan Case" was held in the Italian Parliament. 

 

November 15: A rally was held in London, England. In Basel, Switzerland, a vigil was organized by the Committee for the Freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.

 

November 16: DEM Party MPs made an İmralı application to the Human Rights Investigation Commission (IHİK). 

 

November 17th: A large march was organized in Winterthur, Switzerland. 

 

November 18: "Freedom March" was launched in the Gemlik district of Bursa. 

 

November 27: PKK and PJAK prisoners began a period-long hunger strike. 

 

November 29: İHD applied to the Ministry of Justice to send a delegation to İmralı.

 

December 3: Norwegian Socialist Left Party MP Andreas Sjalg Unneland brought Abdullah Öcalan's situation to the parliamentary agenda.

 

December 4: Prisoners' relatives started "Justice Watch" protests in Amed, Wan, Adana, Mersin, Istanbul and Izmir. 

 

December 9: In Amed, 44 civil society organizations participated in a march calling for a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue through dialogue and negotiation. 

 

December 10: Abdullah Öcalan's books were read in many places as part of the "Global Öcalan Books Day". A march was organized in Zurich, Switzerland. 

 

December 25: The indigenous Totonaca people in Mexico organized a ceremony for the freedom of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan.

 

December 31: One thousand 25 lawyers from northern and eastern Syria and other parts of Syria appealed to Amnesty International.

 

2024: THE CALL FOR FREEDOM BECOMES POPULAR

 

January 7: Artists and writers in Amed issued a declaration titled "Let's be a Voice for Peace", pointing out that isolation and war policies deepen social crises, and called for "no one should be afraid of dialogue and talking". 

 

January 8: Postcards started to be sent to İmralı from European cities.

 

January 15: In the Swiss canton of Valais, cards were sent to İmralı Prison as part of the "100 Thousand Cards" campaign. 

 

January 22: 1,330 lawyers from 35 bar associations apply to the Ministry of Justice for a meeting with Öcalan.  

 

January 23: Executives of ESP Istanbul Provincial Organization started a 3-day hunger strike in solidarity. 

 

January 30: Mothers on Justice Watch made a statement at the Parliament and called for steps to be taken to lift the isolation on Abdullah Öcalan and ensure his physical freedom.  

 

February 1st: The "Great March for Freedom" was launched from Wan and Qers. A 3-day hunger strike was launched in many centers in Europe. 

 

February 2: A large solidarity march was organized in Berlin, Germany. 

 

February 9: The French newspaper L'Humanité headlines the declaration "Kurdistan: the solution is political!" prepared by 61 names and collectives. 

 

February 10: A petition for the physical freedom of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan is launched in Aleppo. 

 

February 15: Freedom Marchers reaching Amara send a message: "We will struggle until the voice of Mr. Öcalan reaches everyone and the Kurdish problem is solved."   

 

February 16: The European Turkey Citizens' Commission (EUTCC) organized an event at the European Parliament (EP) entitled "Political prisoners in Turkey: Where does the path to freedom and peace lead", emphasized the need for Abdullah Öcalan to be free.

 

February 17: A march and rally was organized in Cologne, Germany with the participation of hundreds of thousands of people.

 

February 22: Young people entered the CPT building in Strasbourg, France and carried out an act of civil disobedience.

 

March 1: The second phase of the campaign was launched.

 

March 8: On the occasion of International Women's Day, women took to the streets in many centers around the world and shouted for Abdullah Öcalan's freedom. 

 

March 10-March 24: Millions of people took to the streets during Newroz celebrations in Turkey, Kurdistan and Europe and shouted for Abdullah Öcalan's freedom. 

 

April 4: "The time has come for Abdullah Öcalan's physical freedom" was the message given during the "To Amara for Freedom" march launched on the occasion of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan's 75th birthday. 

 

April 4: Prisoners took their hunger strike to the next level and decided to boycott the courts and not to make phone calls and family visits. 

 

April 6: A march was organized in Switzerland to mark the 75th birthday of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. 

 

April 13: Rallies in Mannheim, Germany and Copenhagen, Denmark condemned the silence of European countries against the isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. 

 

April 15: In a rally in front of the Council of Europe, reaction against the Council of Europe and the CPT came to the fore. 

 

April 16: 91 institutions and individuals sent a letter to CPT President Dr. Alan Mitchell to take action against the isolation and send a delegation to İmralı. 

 

April 17: PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan's family and lawyers discussed the İmralı isolation with Council of Europe officials.

 

April 18: Öcalan's family and lawyers met with CPT officials who maintained their silence on the İmralı isolation. 

 

May 6: Prisoners' relatives launched the "Speak up to freedom" demonstration in 6 provinces to raise the voices of prisoners protesting for the freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan. 

 

May 8: Relatives of prisoners went to Ankara to meet with the Ministry of Justice. The relatives of the prisoners were prevented from meeting with the Ministry of Justice and said, "There is isolation even if you don't accept it. We have come to demand an end to isolation."  

 

May 8: Peace in Kurdistan (Peace Initiative for Kurdistan) wrote a joint letter calling for the CPT to send a delegation to İmralı Prison. The letter was signed by linguist Noam Chomsky, former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, Simon Dubbins of Unite the Union, Britain's largest trade union organization, Prof. Dr. Michael Gunter, Prof. Dr. Bill Bowring, Prof. Dr. Mary Davis, SNP MP Chris Stephens, Shin Fein MP Chris Hazzard, Mickey Brady, Labour MPs Kate Osamar and John McDonnell, and dozens of academics, trade unionists, writers and journalists.  

 

May 10: Relatives of prisoners started protests in front of AKP provincial buildings in Wan, Adana and Mersin with the call "End isolation". 

 

May 14: 27 MPs and senators in Spain sent a letter to the CPT to send a delegation to İmralı. 

 

May 19: Kurdish youth organized a march in Marseille and said, "No one can call themselves free until Öcalan is physically free."

 

May 25: TJA kicked off "Truth Readings" events in Kurdistan and Turkey with compilations from Abdullah Öcalan's books, demanding "Freedom".  

 

May 29: Mothers who came to Ankara from Wan to meet with Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç against the isolation in İmralı threw their white scarves on the ground and demanded to be heard. 

 

June 3: 95 intellectuals and writers from Germany wrote a letter to the CPT demanding that a delegation be sent immediately to meet with Öcalan and get information about his health. 

 

June 7: In France, 61 people, including senators, parliamentarians, academics and heads of political parties, called on the CPT to "send a delegation to İmralı" in response to the lack of news about PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. 

 

June 25th: Mass protests were organized on the 12th anniversary of the "Freedom for Öcalan" vigil in front of the CPT. They called on the CPT to fulfill its responsibilities. 

 

July 1: A mass press statement was held in the UK with the participation of international human rights organizations. 

 

July 2: Peace Mothers protested the isolation at the Parliament.  

 

July 4: The Paris Bar Association sent a letter of protest to the Ministry of Justice condemning the prevention of the right to defense of Abdullah Öcalan and the prisoners in İmralı.

 

July 4: Prisoners ended their boycott of the courts and their refusal to meet with their lawyers. 

 

July 10: An international panel on the Kurdish issue and the situation of Abdullah Öcalan was organized in Moscow, Russia, with the participation of many experts. 

 

July 26: 69 Nobel Prize winners sent letters to international organizations and AKP President Erdoğan against the isolation in İmralı. 

 

July 31: Civil society organizations reported to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which is considering whether to implement the ECtHR's "violation" verdict on Abdullah Öcalan. 

 

August 7: Australian Green Party MP Abigail Boyd brought the absolute isolation of Abdullah Öcalan to the parliamentary agenda and asked the government to play a role in the solution.

 

ZÜMRÜT: STRUGGLE WILL CONTINUE

 

Evaluating the campaign process, Zübeyde Zümrüt, Co-Chair of the Congress of Democratic Societies of Kurdistan in Germany (KCDK-E), said that within the scope of the campaign, they organized protests against the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan in many parts of the world and gave a strong response to the international conspiracy. Zümrüt stated that they will continue their struggle until they get results. Zümrüt said: "The isolation against Mr. Öcalan is not only a policy of Turkey. For this reason, we have organized actions and events in many centers around the world. Our aim is to draw attention to the genocide policies that want to be carried out together with the isolation policy and to ensure the physical freedom of Mr. Öcalan." 

 

Zümrüt pointed out that they will continue their protests in the following period and said: "The Turkish public opinion wants to hide the unlawfulness that is taking place with the policies of oppression and attack. The isolation policy is being applied to all peoples in the person of Mr. Öcalan. We are expanding our efforts to mobilize the international powers and institutions that do not fulfill their duties and responsibilities against these events. We will not step back from our struggle until Mr. Öcalan's physical freedom is ensured." 

 

MA / Delal Akyüz