Stuttgart Group takes over the Freedom Vigil in Strasbourg

The Freedom Vigil, which was launched on June 25, 2012 by the Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Initiative in Strasbourg, France, has entered its 491st week.

The Kurds living in Europe and their friends have been continuing the vigil in groups each week demanding an end to the isolation imposed on Öcalan and to ensure his freedom.

A new group of activists from Stuttgart, Germany has taken over the vigil which continues in its 491st week at the meeting point of the headquarters of European institutions. The group includes activists Pempeşah Özman, Sebahat Koçin, Sarya Rojhilat, Hamit Bilig, Mehmet Bilici.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Mehmet Bilici noted that European states have remained silent towards the crimes against humanity committed against the Kurdish people and their political leader, condemning the silence.

“Since the International plot, Öcalan has faced all kinds of torture, specifically isolation,” Bilici said, stressing that the Kurdish people will continue their struggle until the isolation of Öcalan is lifted, and his physical freedom is achieved.

Bilici recalled that the Turkish state has used chemical weapons against the guerrilla forces and the civilian population. He criticized that although evidence shows that Turkey has used chemical weapons, no single international institution has done anything to investigate the allegations. He added that European governments have remained silent and thus become complicit in Turkish crimes.

The Kurdish activist emphasized that the Kurdish people will never give up their struggle and called upon the people to expand the resistance.