Families of Martyrs call for steps to advance peace process in Turkey

Calls continue for practical measures to ensure the success of the "Peace and Democratic Society Process," launched by leader Abdullah Ocalan on February 27, 2025. Supporters argue that the current phase requires Turkey to move beyond postponement and delay, particularly by securing leader Ocalan's physical freedom, which they describe as the main gateway to advancing the process toward tangible results and achieving lasting peace in the region.

In this context, ANHA interviewed several families of fallen fighters in the city .

Qahraman Mohammed, father of Baz Qahraman, who was martyred  in 2013 in the village of Karhok, said that the Middle East is currently going through a sensitive and critical period that requires dialogue to prevail over conflict.

He stated that leader Abdullah Ocalan's physical freedom has become an urgent necessity because, in his view, it is key to resolving many of the region's crises, describing Ocalan as the author of a project based on peace and a democratic solution.

He added:

"The Turkish state continues to delay and has not taken any serious steps demonstrating its commitment to making the peace process succeed."

He called on Turkey to move from words to actions by taking practical measures that would pave the way for the success of the process and promote peace and coexistence among all peoples and communities.

He also noted that leader Abdullah Ocalan has spent more than 27 years in prison and urged international human rights organizations to fulfill what he described as their legal and moral responsibilities by working to secure his physical freedom as a key step toward the success of the peace process.

For her part, Zahra Suleiman, the wife of Mazloum Mahou Saadoun, who was martyred in 2020 in Sanjaq Saadoun, said:

"The physical freedom of leader Abdullah Ocalan has become an urgent demand for everyone seeking peace and stability."

She argued that his continued imprisonment for more than twenty-seven years is inconsistent with international laws and conventions.

She added:

"The peace process cannot achieve its real objectives while isolation continues and the Turkish state fails to take serious steps responding to calls for dialogue and a political solution."

Zahra Suleiman said that the peoples of the region aspire to a future marked by security, stability, and peace, away from wars and crises. She added that this places responsibility on the Turkish state to take serious decisions that would create the conditions necessary for the success of the peace process and the building of a democratic society that guarantees coexistence among all communities.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Amin Haji, father of Mitan Walat, who was martyred in 2026 in Raqqa, said that the first real test of Turkey's seriousness regarding the peace process would be granting leader Abdullah Ocalan physical freedom.

He stated that any discussion of negotiations or peace initiatives would not be convincing unless accompanied by practical steps on the ground.

He added:

"Failing to take this step means there is no genuine intention to ensure the success of the Peace and Democratic Society Process."

Haji concluded by saying that the peoples of the region are tired of wars and want to live in peace and security. He called on the Turkish state to end its policy of delay and take responsible decisions that would create the conditions for a successful peace process, achieve stability, and ensure a future based on dialogue and coexistence among all communities.

ANHA