Behram Khalid: Physical freedom of leader Ocalan and Right to Hope essential for peace process

After 27 years of struggle in prison for the freedom of the Kurdish people and all peoples of the world, leader Abdullah Ocalan remains imprisoned today, in an attempt to obstruct his struggle, thought, and philosophy. Despite this, he continues his struggle without interruption from inside prison, defending a free and dignified life for all peoples.

In this context, a member of the Abdullah Ocalan Academy, Behram Khalid, told ANHA agency that leader Ocalan seeks to achieve security, democracy, and equality, and to stand against authority and chaos within society, while highlighting the suffering of the society he has struggled for.

He stressed the necessity of achieving leader Ocalan’s physical freedom and granting him the “Right to Hope,” considering his freedom a legitimate right that must be implemented.

He noted that leader Ocalan’s stance throughout his years of imprisonment reflects his commitment to his positions and ideas, despite the harsh prison conditions he has faced for many years.

Khalid affirmed that the demand for leader Ocalan’s legal rights, including the “Right to Hope,” falls within demands linked to the values of democracy, peace, equality, and security, and is inseparable from the aspirations of the Kurdish people and the peoples of the region.

Behram Khalid pointed out that leader Ocalan had launched a peace project, but the Turkish state has not yet taken any serious steps toward it. He added that the first step should be leader Ocalan’s release and granting him the right to hope, as he represents a key solution to dialogue problems due to his deep intellectual and philosophical contributions.

Khalid continued that the Kurdish people, along with many international parties, oppose the isolation imposed on leader Ocalan, and that the Turkish state itself violates its own laws, as every prisoner is entitled to communicate with the outside world for several minutes weekly.

He explained that communication allowed with leader Ocalan occurs only at long intervals and under pressure, reflecting that the Turkish state’s treatment is driven by political circumstances rather than legal commitment, which is completely unacceptable.

Behram Khalid stressed that leader Ocalan has spent many years in prison and that his continued detention constitutes an injustice against humanity. He added that the peoples of the region reject the policies of the Turkish state, which seeks to resolve issues according to its own preferences rather than through the peace process advocated by leader Ocalan.

Khalid stated that resolving problems in the region and within Turkey cannot be achieved without leader Ocalan’s role, questioning how genuine dialogue can take place with the outside world while he remains imprisoned. Therefore, the struggle for his release continues, with a growing conviction that his physical freedom is a key to solving existing issues.

He noted that many global leaders have experienced imprisonment, such as Nelson Mandela, but the mechanisms of dialogue with them were not like those currently applied in Turkey with leader Ocalan.

He added that if the Turkish state adheres to its own laws, it should ensure leader Ocalan’s right to continuous communication with the outside world, including his family and lawyers, enabling discussion of future solutions and upcoming stages.

Behram Khalid affirmed that achieving the physical freedom depends on the continuation of struggle at the level of movement, thought, and people, and that all those who seek global security and stability reject the policies of the Turkish state.

He pointed out that leader Ocalan has taken serious steps toward peace and expressed this through his actions and positions, but the Turkish state has not responded, instead following a policy of betrayal, as reflected in its historical treatment of the Kurdish issue and its leaders, such as Sheikh Said and Qadi Muhammad.

He explained that these policies aimed to erase the Kurdish cause, but the current stage is different due to leader Ocalan’s ongoing struggle for more than 27 years based on democracy, equality, and peace.

Khalid noted that the leader has only demanded his legitimate rights, and that everyone hopes for his physical freedom, which would allow him to contribute to regional security and stability as a key actor in any future solution process.

He stated that these rights are not granted by the Turkish state or the United Nations but are won through struggle, warning against relying on them as a “gift” or “charity.” He emphasized that what has been achieved so far came at the cost of great sacrifices, including the blood of martyrs and the continuous efforts of the popular movement.

He added that more than fifty years of struggle have been essential in preserving the cause, and that leader  Ocalan’s thought and approach form the basis of a future built on freedom.

Behram Khalid concluded by stressing the need for continued struggle and sacrifice by the Kurdish people and the peoples of the region, alongside the work of institutions and movements, in order to achieve the physical freedom of leader Abdullah Ocalan.

He expressed his belief that the coming phase will witness freedom and victory for leader Abdullah Ocalan, alongside the failure of Turkish state policies.

ANHA