ISTANBUL – Serhat Çakmak, co-chair of the Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD), emphasized that hearing Abdullah Öcalan’s views in parliament would be “a historic responsibility” for the commission. 

 

ÖHD presented a 55-page report to the Parliamentary Commission on National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy, established to seek a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue.

 

The report included a range of proposals, including the abolition of the Anti-Terror Law (TMK), prevention of violence against women, education in the mother tongue, an end to trustee appointments in municipalities, judicial independence, and the right to hope for long-term prisoners.

 

‘OUR PRIORITY IS THE ABOLITION OF THE TMK’

 

Çakmak said that discussing the Kurdish question under the roof of parliament legitimizes the process and strengthens its legal credibility. “One of our key demands is the abolition or revision of the TMK. It is an exceptional law that establishes exceptional punishments and trials. Courts such as the Independence Tribunals, State Security Courts, and today’s Specialized Courts all operate under this exceptional regime,” he said. 

 

He continued: “Each article of the TMK introduces ambiguity and leads to heavier sentences. It causes inequality both in sentencing and in the execution of punishments. For fair and honest trials, this exceptional regime must end. Our priority demand is the complete abolition of Articles 4 and 5, and the revision of Article 17.”

 

‘THE PROBLEM OF AN IMPARTIAL AND INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY’

 

Çakmak noted that their report aims to pave the way for legal reforms, stressing that judicial independence remains a deep-rooted problem. Çakmak said: “This issue did not start with the AKP government, it goes back to the founding of the Republic. From the trials of Seyit Rıza and Şêx Said (Sheikh Said) to the coups and the unresolved murders of the 1990s, political trials have always exposed the judiciary’s dependence on political power.”

 

He added that judicial appointments made through political references, including those of the Constitutional Court and the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK), undermine neutrality. “No judge can feel independent under such conditions. These structures must be reformed,” he said.

 

‘THE RIGHT TO HOPE’

 

The report also emphasizes the “right to hope,” calling for the abolition of aggravated life sentences and the creation of a mechanism allowing conditional release. Çakmak criticized the Prison Administration and Observation Boards, saying they lack legal standards: “Even imams sit on these boards. A more just and lawful mechanism must be established for conditional release.”

 

‘A WOMEN’S LIBERATION-ORIENTED LIFE’

 

The report also highlights gender equality, violence against women, and trustee appointments in local governments. “We advocate for a women’s liberation-oriented life,” Çakmak said and added: “The male-dominated mentality that has ruled human history has always brought chaos, war, and power struggles. The trustee system must be abolished, and equality must be guaranteed in local administrations.”

 

He added that changes should be made to Article 127/4 of the Constitution, which allows the Interior Ministry to remove elected mayors. “We proposed that such appointments be made by municipal councils, not the ministry,” he said. The report also calls for removing reservations on international conventions and ensuring education and public use of the Kurdish language: “These issues cannot be solved through elective courses.”

 

‘A SUBSTANTIVE HEARING’

 

Describing the commission’s work so far as “positive,” Çakmak stressed that hearing Abdullah Öcalan is essential for credibility and progress. Çakmak said:  “Mr. Öcalan is the one who initiated this process and took responsibility for it. Listening to him would be a true test for both the commission and the state. There is no legal or moral barrier to hearing a person who can say, ‘I founded this organization, I started these talks, and I can contribute to the solution.’”

 

He concluded: “This would mark a major step forward and strengthen mutual trust. For that reason, I believe that listening to Mr. Öcalan is a historic responsibility for the commission.”

 

MA / Omer Ibrahimoglu