What Happened in 2025? Leader Abdullah Ocalan set Turkey, Kurdistan’s agenda

The process initiated by Leader Abdullah Ocalan and the developments related to it formed the main agenda in both Turkey and Kurdistan throughout the year 2025.

The process, which was directly announced to the public through a press statement on February 27, was the result of ongoing negotiations and in response to the developments occurring in the region.

On October 1, 2024, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader, Devlet Bahçeli, shook hands with deputies from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) during the opening ceremony of the new session of the Turkish Parliament. Following this handshake, in response to a question from a journalist, Bahçeli spoke about change and peace.

On October 22 of the same year, Devlet Bahçeli, during a party meeting in Parliament, invited Abdullah Ocalan to deliver a speech in the Parliament and opened opportunities for "the right to hope."

After Devlet Bahçeli’s Call, the First Meeting with Leader Abdullah Ocalan in 43 Months Took Place

Following Devlet Bahçeli’s call on October 23, the first meeting with Leader Abdullah Ocalan occurred after a 43-month hiatus. Ocalan’s nephew and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy for the city of Rha, Omar Ocalan, visited Imrali and met with the leader. In this historic meeting, Ocalan delivered a significant message, saying: "The isolation continues, but if the conditions become favorable, I have the theoretical and practical power to shift this process from a framework of war to a legal and political one."

Launch of the New Process

The call from Leader Abdullah Ocalan resonated widely and was discussed by many parties, marking the beginning of a new phase and process. This was particularly evident through the meetings of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) delegation with Abdullah Ocalan in Imrali, followed by talks with government and state officials. The first official meeting with Ocalan took place on December 28 of the previous year, when HDP deputies Bervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder visited Imrali and met with the leader. During the meeting, Ocalan emphasized the alliance between the Kurds and Turks.

The HDP delegation visited Ocalan in Imrali multiple times in 2025: on January 22, February 27, May 18, June 9, July 6 and 25, August 28, October 3, November 3, and December 2. Additionally, the delegation held several meetings with Turkish government ministers, the President, and state officials during February, March, and April of this year. The delegation also visited officials in Southern Kurdistan and various political parties.

The Historic Call

During a meeting with the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) delegation in Imrali on February 27, Leader Abdullah Ocalan took a historic step. Members of the Imrali delegation Ahmet Turk, Bervin Buldan, Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Tülay Hatemoğlu, Tuncer Bakırhan, Cengiz Gökçek, and Fikri Özgür took the first photo with Abdullah Ocalan in Imrali and conveyed the text of his historic call.

On the same day, the delegation announced Ocalan’s call titled "Peace and Democratic Society" through a press conference in Istanbul, Turkey. In this "historic call," Abdullah Ocalan urged the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to disband itself and end the armed struggle.

PKK’s Response

On March 1, in response to Abdullah Ocalan's call, the PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire. Millions expressed their support for Ocalan's call during Newroz celebrations.

In response to Ocalan’s historic call, the PKK held its 12th congress between May 5-7, where it decided to disband itself.

Echo of the Historic Call Among Turkish Forces and Circles

The echo of Ocalan's historic call and the PKK's response resonated widely among all Turkish political forces, circles, and institutions, with the exception of two or three racist parties. However, no tangible steps were taken, and the media’s language did not change.

The Right to Hope

Following Devlet Bahçeli’s statements and Abdullah Ocalan’s historic call, the topic of the "Right to Hope" was brought up once again. Political parties, civil society institutions, human rights organizations, legal unions, intellectuals, politicians, the Kurdish people, and their friends all called for the implementation of the "Right to Hope" and for Abdullah Ocalan’s physical freedom. On September 17, mass demonstrations were held in the cities of Amed and Van in Northern Kurdistan and in Mersin, Turkey, demanding the "Right to Hope."

On October 21, the HDP submitted a proposal to the Turkish Parliament calling for the implementation of the "Right to Hope."

Lawyers' Visit to Imrali After 6 Years

On September 15 of this year, the lawyers of Leader Abdullah Ocalan visited Imrali after a 6-year hiatus and met with the leader. During this meeting, Ocalan stated: "The state must take steps to adopt the law of the 'Right to Hope.'" The lawyers submitted 37 requests to meet with him this year, but they only visited Imrali twice, with the second visit on October 13.

Families Submitted 23 Requests to Meet, Only Meeting Their Loved Ones 4 Times

This year, Abdullah Ocalan’s family and the families of other detainees in Imrali submitted 23 requests to visit their imprisoned relatives, but they were only allowed to meet them 4 times: on March 31 (Eid al-Fitr), June 8 (Eid al-Adha), July 28, and October 31.

Call to Form a Parliamentary Committee

During a meeting with the Imrali delegation on May 18, Abdullah Ocalan said: "There is a need for a new contract based on brotherhood, and what we have done is a comprehensive change in the model." He called for the formation of a committee in the Turkish parliament.

First Video Statement by Ocalan After 26 Years

On July 9, Ocalan’s first video statement in 26 years was released. In this historic clip, Ocalan delivered a message and made another historic step, saying: "My faith is not in weapons, but in the power of politics and social peace. I invite you to revive this principle."

Weapon Burning Ceremony

Following Abdullah Ocalan’s call, 30 PKK fighters, who named themselves the "Peace and Democratic Society Group," burned their weapons in a ceremony held in Sulaymaniyah, Southern Kurdistan, on July 11. The co-chair of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), Besî Hozat, who read the statement related to this event, delivered a message saying: "The weapon is no longer an obstacle, and now it is the other side's turn." The weapon-burning ceremony was covered by hundreds of journalists from Turkey, Kurdistan, and around the world, along with numerous politicians, intellectuals, and organizations. The event echoed globally.

Formation of the Parliamentary Committee

After the weapon-burning ceremony, pressure on the Turkish state to take necessary steps increased. Consequently, the political parties with parliamentary blocs in Turkey formed the "National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Committee" on August 5. Throughout the year, the committee held 18 meetings and listened to 134 individuals and groups. On November 24, deputies from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the Justice and Development Party (AKP), and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) met with Abdullah Ocalan as part of the parliamentary committee. On December 4, the committee held its 19th meeting, with the agenda focused on meeting Abdullah Ocalan. However, only a small part of what was discussed in the meeting was revealed. Many parties and political groups criticized this and deemed it insufficient, demanding full disclosure of the discussions and topics.

The committee did not respond to the proposals and criticisms, so HDP deputy Gulistan Coçyiğit, who had also visited Imrali, provided the media with information about the content of the meeting. She stated that the information released by the committee was not the same as the one they had prepared.

The committee is expected to submit a report on its work to the parliament.

Proposal for Democratic Dialogue

On October 3, during a meeting with the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) delegation, Leader Abdullah Ocalan proposed: "I suggest that democratic dialogue be the prevailing approach in all political and social relations."

Global Resonance of the Current Process

The current process has resonated worldwide, receiving support from governments across Europe, America, Asia, and the Middle East. The campaign for "Freedom for Abdullah Ocalan, a political solution to the Kurdish issue," launched by intellectuals, scholars, writers, politicians, journalists, artists, and various unions, entered a new phase on October 10, 2023. The campaign expanded to 74 centers across Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.

Two hundred Nobel laureates, along with numerous thinkers, journalists, politicians, African leaders, democratic organizations, and activists from Europe, Asia, America, and Africa, expressed their support for Abdullah Ocalan’s call for peace and a democratic society. A group of Nobel laureates sent a message to the Turkish president and European authorities. Additionally, an international delegation visited Turkey to hold meetings regarding the issue and called for a visit to Abdullah Ocalan. Thousands of messages were gathered worldwide and sent to Turkish authorities in support of the peace initiative.

Kurdish Fighters’ Withdrawal

On October 26, the leadership of the Kurdistan Liberation Movement announced in a press conference that all its forces would be withdrawn from Turkey with the approval of Leader Abdullah Ocalan. The statement resonated widely in Turkey and around the world.

On November 17, the leadership of the Kurdistan Liberation Movement declared its withdrawal from the Zap region, where it had been facing the threat of war, to other areas on the 16th of the same month.

Besi Hozat: "We Will Work in Democratic Politics"

On the 47th anniversary of the founding of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the co-chair of the Executive Council of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), Besi Hozat, stated on November 28: "We will turn to working in democratic politics and a democratic society."

International Conference for Peace and Democratic Society

On December 6-7, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) held the "International Conference for Peace and Democratic Society" in Istanbul, Turkey. The conference saw the participation of many intellectuals, politicians, and journalists from Kurdistan, Turkey, and various countries around the world. The conference, which addressed numerous issues and evaluations related to solutions, echoed widely and sparked various comments and reactions globally.

Messages from Leader Abdullah Ocalan to Various Groups

Throughout this year, Leader Abdullah Ocalan sent several messages to different communities and movements. These messages were directed to various groups including the people of Makhmour, the Yazidi community, Arab tribes, different conferences and gatherings, women’s movements, and popular movements.

Some of the key messages include:

On March 8, a message to women.

On July 17, a message to the Cultural Conference in Shengal.

On September 13, a message to the 33rd International Kurdish Culture Festival.

On June 27, a message to the "Hundredth Anniversary of Sheikh Said’s Uprising" Conference held in Europe.

On August 8, a message to the people of Makhmour.

On August 14, a message to the Arab tribes in Northern and Eastern Syria.

On August 31, a message for International Peace Day (September 1).

On September 1, a message to the "Peace Achieved with Difficulty in Turkey" Conference held in Erbil.

On September 13, a message to the Dortmund Kurdish Culture Festival.

On September 17, a message to the Kurdish youth who migrated to Europe.

On December 5, a message to the 14th Conference of the Ishtar Council in Makhmour.

Impact on Southern Kurdistan, Rojava, and Syria

The current process has had a significant impact on several regions, particularly Southern Kurdistan (Başûr), Western Kurdistan (Rojava), and Syria. These areas have seen numerous activities aimed at promoting and strengthening the process.

Turkey’s pretexts for launching attacks in Syria have been diminished, or at least the Turkish state has not been able to use these excuses to the extent it desired. Abdullah Ocalan proposed regional democracy as a solution for Syria. As a result, on March 10, an 8-point agreement was signed between the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria  AANES and the Syrian Transitional Government, focusing on the democratization of Syria, with negotiations continuing to implement it.

Based on Ocalan’s calls for Kurdish unity, the "Conference for Kurdish Unity and Position in Rojava Kurdistan" was held in Qamishlo on April 26. Over 400 representatives from various political parties participated in the conference, which emphasized the importance of unity and collective action among Kurds in the region.

ANHA