Zeynel Kete, Co-Chair of the Democratic Alevi Associations (DAD), described the symbolic burning of weapons during the July 11 disarmament ceremony as an act of profound transformation. “To burn is not to destroy, but to open the way for new existences,” he said, calling on Alevis to take an active role in the ongoing peace process.
Journalist and political commentator Ali Bayramoğlu stated that legal guarantees are essential for militants who lay down arms. “Progress can only be made if the AKP and MHP open up democratic space, and that includes reaching societal consensus,” he said.
In Bolu F-Type High-Security Prison, the release of 35 prisoners has been blocked by the Administrative and Observation Board on the grounds of “lack of good behavior,” according to Berivan Barin from the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD). Of the 35, 34 have been incarcerated for over 30 years.
Writer and Circassian intellectual Yalçın Karadaş has voiced support for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s July 9 call for inclusion of diverse identities in Turkey’s evolving peace process, emphasizing that the Circassian people want to be represented in the planned parliamentary peace commission.
In the Amed (Diyarbakır), healthcare professionals and civil society organizations have launched a petition campaign in support of the “Peace and Democratic Society” process. Emphasizing that peace cannot be built without the inclusion of civil actors, they declared: “We want to be part of the process.”
Nine months after the parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a new government has yet to be formed. Journalist Hawre Karwan warns that the ongoing political deadlock has evolved into a deep social crisis, with the public bearing the brunt of its consequences.
Esmer Çıkmaz, a Kurdish mother who has lost two of her children and hasn't heard from one of her sons amid decades of conflict in Turkey’s southeast, has called for peace, justice, and equal rights. “If Turks have rights, Kurds should have the same. We want our language, our identity,” she said.
Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Semsûr (Adıyaman) Provincial Organisation held its 1st Ordinary Congress. Speaking at the congress, DBP Co-Chair Keskin Bayındır pointed to the "Peace and Democratic Society Process" and said: "We will organise more in this process".
Shengal Academy of Social Sciences announced 7 decisions in the final declaration of the Enlightenment Conference held in Shengal on 17-18 July.
Those who lost their lives in the Pirsûs Massacre were commemorated in front of the Amara Cultural Centre where the massacre took place. Speakers emphasized the need for accountability and the establishment of a truth and justice commission.
Zeynep Yaman, who was subjected to police violence in Istanbul’s Bayrampaşa district, said her baby was born prematurely after being kicked in the stomach by a police officer. “Doctors said there might be issues with my baby’s heart and brain. My baby experienced state violence before even born,” she said.
Ramazan Arı, Vice Chair of Şêx Seîd (Sheikh Said) Association, who watched the weapons destruction ceremony of the Peace and Democratic Society Group, emphasised that the policies of denial and assimilation should be ended.
Mehmet Özkan, the father of Uğur Özkan, who lost his life in the Pirsûs (Suruc) Massacre, said: "I couldn't name my son Hogir. I wanted him to change it himself when he grew up, but it didn't happen. Their turning towards Kobanê was an act of humanity."
85-year-old Sıddık Güler, a seriously ill prisoner, has been released from prison.
A commission planned to be established in the Parliament has been decided to be set up on the initiative of Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus. It is learnt that the commission will consist of at least 44 members.