At a press conference in Ankara, Ayşegül Doğan, spokesperson for the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), commented on the meeting of her party’s central executive committee held the previous day to discuss the current political situation in Turkey. She said that the focus was on increasing authoritarian tendencies, the role of the judiciary, and the exclusion of opposition voices—especially with regard to a peace process to resolve the Kurdish question.
The meeting paid particular attention to the message that the Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan had conveyed to the Imrali delegation of the DEM Party: “I have important things I would like to communicate to the parliamentary commission.” In this context, Doğan demanded that talks with Öcalan be initiated urgently if a credible political solution was to be sought at all. “The commission must find a way to talk to Mr. Öcalan. This is necessary, legitimate, and long overdue,” Doğan said.
The democracy issue does not only concern the CHP
Doğan sharply criticized the appointment of a trustee to replace the elected CHP party leadership in Istanbul. She said the move was “neither lawful nor legitimate” and threatened the foundations of democratic participation in Turkey as a whole. The DEM Party does not see this as a party political issue, but as an attack on democracy itself, she said.
“It’s not about defending the CHP. It’s about the electoral system, the rule of law, and the space for democratic politics,” said Doğan and accused the government of eliminating political competition through “cronyism and intrigue” instead of engaging in fair democratic competition.
Criticism of the role of the judiciary
Speaking about the role of the judiciary, Doğan accused the courts of protecting political interests instead of ensuring justice and legal certainty. “The judiciary should protect the law, not secure political maneuvers,” she said. Especially at a time when democratic spaces are increasingly shrinking, it is crucial to restore confidence in an independent legal system, she noted.
“Taboos must be broken”
With regard to the recently formed parliamentary commission on democratization, Doğan warned against ignoring key players such as Öcalan: “Those who refuse to engage with Öcalan will lose their bearings. If you want solutions, you have to abandon political taboos and break new ground.”
The time for silence must be over, according to Doğan. She underlined that the commission should not become an instrument of empty rhetoric, but should facilitate serious discussions. The reference to previous attempts at peace is more than just symbolic—rather, it is about involving the “only actor” who has decades of political experience in the conflict, she stated.
Criticism of Syria policy and war rhetoric
Doğan also strongly criticized the Turkish government’s stance toward the autonomous region of North and East Syria. Instead of engaging in talks with representatives of the autonomous administration, Ankara is fueling hostile rhetoric against the People’s Defense Units (YPG), the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), according to Doğan. “This is not the language of friendship, nor is it the language of solution.”
Doğan referred in particular to a statement by PYD politician Salih Muslim, who had agreed to travel to Ankara for peace talks: “Why doesn’t Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan take advantage of this willingness and talk to him or to Ilham Ehmed?” asked Doğan. Ehmed is the Co-Chair of the Foreign Relations Department of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES).
Barzani and the “Öcalan taboo”
Referring to a statement by KDP chairman Massoud Barzanî, who said in an interview that he would like to visit Öcalan – “but not in prison” – Doğan emphasized that there was widespread interest in direct contact with Öcalan: “It is not unusual to want to talk to Mr. Öcalan. Rather, it is necessary, and the path to this must no longer be blocked.”
“The current treatment of the issue as taboo is counterproductive and anti-democratic. People are eager to hear Öcalan speak directly and to get in touch with him—this must finally be made possible.
Announcement of a visit to Imrali
Finally, Doğan announced that a high-ranking DEM party delegation—including the two co-chairs, Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan—would visit the prison island of Imrali in the coming week to meet with Öcalan.