Debate continues over possible meeting with leader Ocalan

Comprised of members from political parties represented in parliament, the commission began its work on 5 August. To date, it has held 12 meetings and heard from civil society organizations, human rights groups, the Peace Mothers, families of the deceased, former parliamentary speakers, intelligence chiefs, and Turkey’s former ministers of interior and defense.

The discussions have centered on demands for a peaceful solution, legal reforms, and the possibility of meeting with  leader Abdullah Ocalan.

According to the evaluations of the Commission’s Chair, Numan Kurtulmuş (who also currently serves as Speaker of Parliament), delivered on 24 September, the commission’s meetings are drawing to a close, and a report will be submitted to parliament.

The new legislative year of the Turkish Parliament begins tomorrow (1 October). However, no meeting has yet taken place with leade Abdullah Ocalan.

Kurtulmuş clarified that this issue has not been placed on the commission’s agenda, nor has any information been shared regarding the content of the draft report.

On the prospects of meeting with leader Ocalan and the preparation of the report, Saruhan Oluç, a parliamentary commission member from the Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), responded to questions from ANHA Agency.

“The Meeting with Mr. Ocalan Will Be Put on the Agenda”

Regarding the meeting with Mr. Ocalan, we held discussions with party leaders and committee members. We put forward our proposals and stressed its importance. Although the issue has not yet been formally included on the committee’s agenda, we have made prior preparations. Without placing this matter on the agenda, the process will remain fraught with risks. Therefore, the topic will undoubtedly be tabled, and a decision will be taken in upcoming sessions.

 In this context, we also discussed the matter with Numan Kurtulmuş. It is expected that one or two more meetings will take place within the next week to ten days, after which a conclusion will be reached.

The Content of the Report Has Not Yet Been Discussed

It is said that the commission has so far conducted meetings with 80 individuals, recording 830 pages of proceedings. Based on these minutes, a report is expected to be prepared and submitted to parliament. However, the content of this report has not yet been discussed. After the hearings are concluded in one or two more sessions, the debate on the report’s substance will begin. The content will be determined within the framework of the discussions held thus far. The commission will refer relevant legal proposals to the competent parliamentary committees and will recommend which specialized committees should work on which draft laws.

What procedures related to the process will be undertaken in parliament once the report is submitted?

When the new legislative year begins on 1 October 2025 and the report is submitted, the specialized parliamentary committees will start their work. For instance, the Justice Committee and the Internal Affairs Committee will handle the legislative tasks concerning the necessary laws.

Political parties will present their proposals for these laws to the respective committees. After the committees complete their work, draft laws will gradually be placed on the parliament’s general agenda. It should not be expected that all laws will be adopted at once; rather, they will be introduced step by step.

How will the commission continue its work after presenting the report to parliament?

The commission has set a timeframe for itself until the end of 2025. At its inception, it was stated that if necessary, its mandate could be extended every two months. After submitting the first report, the commission may also deliberate on draft legislation. However, if it is decided that such matters will be discussed only within the specialized committees, then the commission will continue monitoring developments for a certain period and will reconvene as needed to assess the next steps.

Its work will focus on other requirements related to legal and constitutional foundations. If new proposals are submitted, these too will be evaluated. We will see the details of this process unfold in the coming days.

a.k

ANHA