Call from Italy to President Bettel about Öcalan: Take responsibility!

The “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question” initiative continues its activities. 56 Italian figures and 26 institutions wrote a letter to the President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (ECEC), Xavier Bettel.

Bettel was reminded of the ECHR and the Committee of Ministers decisions regarding the implementation of the right to hope. The open letter emphasized that Öcalan’s physical freedom must be ensured in order for him to play a key role in the search for a solution to the Kurdish question. The letter urged Bettel to “take concrete legal, diplomatic and political steps for the release of Mr. Öcalan, as this is now the duty of the Committee of Ministers.”

The letter underlined that “Since October 10, 2023, millions of people in Kurdistan and around the world have participated in the “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan – A Political Solution to the Kurdish Question” campaign to draw attention to Mr. Öcalan’s plight and drew the world’s attention to the path to peace. The political importance of Mr. Öcalan for the Turkish-Kurdish conflict cannot be overstated, and a resolution of the Turkish-Kurdish conflict, which has now spilled beyond Turkey’s borders as the Turkish military attacks, invades, and occupies areas in northern Syria and northern Iraq, could also bring peace to the Middle East.”

The signatories are as follows: 

The list of signatories and institutions is as follows:

Professor Giovanni Russo Spena, University of Naples, Former Parliamentarian and Spokesperson for the Öcalan Freedom Committee
Domenico Gallo, Judge and Senator
Cesare Antetomaso, Jurist
Lisli Basso, Human Rights Defender
Franco Ippolito – Human Rights Defender
Nicola Fratoianni, Parliamentarian
Angelo Bonelli, Parliamentarian
Luana Zanella, Parliamentarian
Marco Grimaldi, Parliamentarian
Francesca Ghirra, Parliamentarian
Giuseppe De Cristofaro, Senator
Tino Magni, Senator
Franco Mari, Parliamentarian
Filiberto Zaratti, Parliamentarian
Devis Dori, Parliamentarian
Elisabetta Piccolotti, Parliamentarian
Alfonso Gianni, Politician
Luigi Vinci, Parliamentarian
Moni Ovadia, Theater Artist
Maurizio Acerbo, Politician and union
Vincenzo Marcorelli, Trade Unionist
Roberto Eufemia, Rome City Councilor
Gianni Piazza, Professor at the University of Catania
Prof. Fulvio Vassallo Paleologo- Associazione Diritti e Frontiere
Liana Nesta, Lawyer
Federico Venturini, Academician
Rosanna Labbate, Fonti di Pace NGO
Silvana Barbieri, Fonti di Pace NGO
Andrea Cegna, Journalist
Laura Schrader, Screenwriter and journalist
Alfonso di Stefano – Carovane Migranti
Antonino De Cristofaro- Esec. Naz. cobas
Alessio Scandurra, Antigone Onlus
Benedetta Buccellato, ANPI
Ambra D’Amico – Theater Actress
Teresa Isenburg, Professor at the University of Milan
Salvatore Cangemi, Politician
Alessandra Cangemi, Journalist
Solange Beatrice Laissy, politician
Carla Zucchi – Politician
Mauro Compagnoni, Informatic
Santuzza Angela Gennaro, Informatic
Fabrizio EVA, Politician
Ilaria Salis, MEP
Augusta Pasquero, Businesswoman
Giovanni Urro, Educator
Lucia Zamparo, Educator
Gianni Sartori, Journalist
Stefano Mannironi, Lawyer
Alfonso di Stefano – Carovane Migranti
Antonino De Cristofaro- Cobas
Marino Bisso, Journalist
Francesca Cella
Graziella Mascheroni, CISDA President
Piero Bernacchi, COBAS Union Spokesperson
Associazione Nazionale Giuristi Democratici
CRED – Centro di Ricerca ed Elaborazione per la Democrazia
ARCI Nazionale
Confederazione COBAS
COBAS Scuola SARDEGNA
Confederazione COBAS DI TERNI
Circolo di Sinistra Italiana “Peppino Impastato” di Sesto San Giovanni
Fillea Cgil di Roma e Lazio
Associazione Ya Basta Bologna
Rete #NoBavaglio
Associazione Verso il Kurdistan NGO
CUB- Confederazione Unitaria di Base
ARCI Rome
Cultura è Libertà
ESC Atelier Autogestito
CISDA Comitato Italiano
Gruppo Anarchico C. Cafiero FAI Rome
CLAP – Camere del Lavoro Autonomo e Precario
Alkemia News Modena
ASS. Senza Paura Genova
Associazione Senzaconfine
Unicobas Scula & Universita
Gruppo Insegnanti di Geografia Autorganizzati – Giga
Associazione Melitea
Italo Di Sabato (portavoce Osservatorio Repressione)
Punto Rosso, Roberto Mapelli Presidente
Eleonora Bonaccorsi Presidente Fonti di Pace NGO
Laboratorio Andrea Ballarò di Palermo