Outcome of Leader Abdullah Ocalan’s freedom campaign in 3 months

On October 10, 2023, a global campaign was launched under the slogan “Freedom for Abdullah Ocalan, the political solution to the Kurdish issue.” The program, which was launched in 74 centers around the world, continues in 105 different centers.

Within the framework of the campaign that has been ongoing for 3 months, many activities were held, such as marches, reading statements, seminars, workshops, meetings and conferences, and a program for reading books by leader Abdullah Ocalan, in 31 centers around the world in the continents of Asia, Europe, South America, North America and Africa.

The following is the outcome of the activities organized during the past 3 months:

Northern Kurdistan and Turkey

On October 28, 2023, 78 journalists, artists, writers, politicians and intellectuals issued a statement “Calling for Peace” in Istanbul. The statement called for an end to the isolation imposed on Leader Abdullah Ocalan and to resolve the Kurdish issue in a democratic manner.

In recent years, 172 organizations and institutions, including civil society organizations and political parties, issued a statement on November 29, 2023, under the slogan “A Call for Freedom from Now to the Future.”

The co-chairs of the People's Party for Equality and Democracy, Tulay Hatem Ogullari and Tuncer Bakirhan, and members of Parliament submitted a request to the Ministry of Justice to meet with Leader Abdullah Ocalan.

With the participation of tens of thousands of people, the Kimlik March was held in Istanbul and Amed from November 18 to 19, 2023. Despite all the obstacles and attacks, the march took place to demand the physical freedom of leader Abdullah Ocalan and a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue.

Prisoners in 106 prisons in Northern Kurdistan and Turkey began a hunger strike on November 27, 2023, demanding the physical freedom of leader Abdullah Ocalan. In order to support the activities of the prisoners, the families of the prisoners started vigil activities in many cities.

The Human Rights Association appealed to the Ministry of Justice on November 29, 2023 to send a delegation to Imrali Prison.

The international women's delegation, which consisted of 7 people and included lawyers, parliamentarians, environmental scientists and representatives of civil society organizations from various European countries, visited Turkey on December 9, 2023. The delegation that visited the lawyer of Leader Abdullah Ocalan will also present its report on the lack of information from Imrali and the isolation regime to international organizations such as the European Committee against Violence, the United Nations and the Council of Europe.

On January 7, 2024, 564 people, including writers, artists and intellectuals, announced through a statement “Let us be a voice for peace” in Amed and Istanbul. The statement called for the need to end the isolation in Imrali and open avenues for dialogue.

North and East Syria

On October 14, 2023, the Popular Initiative for North and East Syria, members of the Autonomous Administration, administrators and members of civil and social organizations, political parties, Kurdish and Arab tribal sheikhs, Kongra Star, women’s and youth organizations, the Democratic Society Movement, and hundreds of people participated in this campaign.

On October 14, 28 Arab intellectuals, artists, politicians and academics joined the global campaign through a statement.

The first conference of the Syrian Initiative for the Freedom of Leader Abdullah Ocalan was held in Raqqa on December 10, 2023, under the slogan “Violating international law regarding the case of Leader Abdullah Ocalan and truth and justice.”

On October 17, 2023, the Popular Initiative for North and East Syria opened the first sit-in tent in the city of Qamishlo, and then in al-Hasakah, Amuda, Derik, Raqqa, Manbij, Kobani, Girkê Legê, Ad-Darbasiyah, al-Hol, al-Shahba, Tabqa, and Tel Hamis.

On December 11, 2023, the first open hunger strike began in the city of Derik under the supervision of the Popular Initiative for North and East Syria. Then it continued in Qamishlo, Amuda, Girkê Legê, Tel Hamis, al-Hol, al-Shahba, al-Hasakah, Tabqa, Ad-Darbasiyah, and Kobani.

On November 14, 2023, the Zenobia Women’s Gathering began a women’s workshop in the city of Raqqa with the participation of 250 delegates under the slogan, “In the spirit of the democratic nation, we march to achieve the physical freedom of Leader Abdullah Ocalan.”

On November 29, 2023, the Syrian Revolutionary Youth Movement completed a 100 km long march in 3 days from the March 12 Stadium in Qamishlo to Derik.

The Syrian Lawyers Initiative to Protect Leader Abdullah Ocalan sent 1,025 signatures collected from lawyers to Amnesty International at the end of November and the beginning of December 2023.

The Syrian Initiative for the Freedom of Leader Abdullah Ocalan, in cooperation with the Lawyers’ Initiative to Protect Leader Abdullah Ocalan, sent many letters to 11 international and global organizations. The letter called on these organizations to carry out their duties regarding the situation of leader Abdullah Ocalan and achieve his physical freedom.

Başûr - Northern Kurdistan

On October 14, politicians, academics, intellectuals and civil society activists joined the campaign through a joint statement.

All institutions and bodies of Şengal, the Arab component and the Yazidi Community, the Yazidi Freedom and Democracy Party, the Yazidi Women’s Freedom Movement and the youth movements, with the initiative of the Democratic Autonomous Administration DAA of Şengal, announced in a joint statement on October 21, 2023, their joining this campaign.

On October 22, the people of the Martyr Rustam Judy Camp (Makhmur) and the Ishtar Council announced their participation in the campaign.

The Association of Free Women in Rojhalat Kurdistan (KJAR) and the Free Women’s Organization of Kurdistan (RJAK) joined the initiative on October 17, 2023.

Mass marches were organized within the framework of the initiative in Şengal on October 28, Makhmour camp on November 18, and in the city of Sulaymaniyah on December 23, 2023.

On January 5, 2024, a campaign to read the book of Leader Abdullah Ocalan was launched in the city of Sulaymaniyah.

World - Europe

On October 10, 2023, Unite The Union, one of the largest unions in Britain, joined the campaign.

On December 3, 2023, the “Human Chain” event was held in Lucerne, Switzerland.

On December 10, 2023, 160 centers held an event for reading books by Leader Abdullah Ocalan, under the slogan “International Day for Reading Ocalan’s Books.”

On October 16, several Tamil organizations supported the campaign in Chennai, India.

In the French city of Marseille, Kurdish youth organized an event on board a ship to draw attention to the isolation imposed on leader Abdullah Ocalan.

On December 2, the first World Youth Conference was launched in Paris with the participation of 95 youth organizations and movements and lasted for 3 days. Young people announced their support for the campaign.

On November 8, on the occasion of the anniversary of Leader Abdullah Ocalan’s move to Italy, a press conference was held in the Italian Parliament entitled “Political rights in Turkey and the Abdullah Ocalan case.” During the meeting, it was emphasized that Italy must fulfill its obligations to lift isolation and achieve physical freedom for leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Members of the Revolutionary Youth Movement (TCŞ), Militant Young Women (TekoJIN) and international youth movements marched in 13 European cities on 11 and 12 November 2023.

In Lausanne, the Center for the Kurdish Democratic Community (CDK) and members of the Lajin Women's Council in St. Petersburg opened a weekly information platform. On the platform, books were distributed.

On the occasion of New Year, 20,000 postcards were distributed to homes and workplaces in England.

In Mexico, members of the Mujeres Colibri group discussed the model of democratic confederation and presented a popular song of the people of Abiyala to leader Abdullah Ocalan.

On December 15, 2023, the Women’s Council and the Free Kurds Association (Nav Berlîn) set up tents in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz for Leader Abdullah Ocalan and distributed leaflets.

On December 15, 2023, Kurdish refugees Mehmet Beylikç, Mahmut Guler, Gökhan Dogbey, Velat Kaya, Ramazan Takme, Shukru Ozturk, and Murat Şahin began a periodic hunger strike in the migrant prison in the city of Khanta, Greece.

On December 16, 2023, the “Standing Person” demonstration took place in Tracadero Square in the French capital, Paris, at the invitation of the Democratic Kurdish Community Center (DKTM).

On January 8, 2024, a campaign was launched in Europe to send postcards to Imrali.

T/Satt.

ANHA