On Sunday, several thousand people took part in a protest march in the northern Syrian city of Kobanê, demanding the freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. The demonstration was organized by the women’s movement Kongra Star under the slogan: “With the call for peace and democratic society, we will achieve leader Öcalan’s freedom.”
In addition to residents from various locations in the Euphrates Canton, representatives of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), civil society organizations, and women’s associations also participated in the rally.
The march began at Free Woman Square and proceeded through central streets to Peace Square, where a closing rally was held. During the demonstration, portraits of Abdullah Öcalan were carried and slogans such as “Bê Serok jiyan nabe” (No life without the chairman) and “Dem dema azadiya Rêber Apo ye” (Now is the time of freedom for leader Öcalan) were chanted.
At the closing rally, Xûnav Xelîl, member of the Kongra-Star Coordination in the Euphrates Canton, called for broad support for the demands for Öcalan’s release. “Abdullah Öcalan has been in resistance on the Turkish prison island of Imrali for 26 years. We must intensify our efforts for his physical freedom. As long as our chairman is not free, we cannot consider ourselves free either,” said Xelîl.