Italian lawyer Ezio Menzione spoke to ANF about the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers’ decision on the “right to hope” and the recent developments regarding the democratic solution to the Kurdish question.
Menzione defined the current stage as highly sensitive and a period of transition and said: “A transition period means we are moving from an existing situation toward a different and new one. Can the current situation be called a ‘democratic phase’? I do not know, I would not call it that. But I hope we are moving toward the process that Mr. Öcalan described as a ‘democratic process’ when he met with his lawyers, a process in which new democratic laws will come into effect.
Therefore, the current situation can be defined as a process where the old and the new are in balance. We do not know what will happen in the future. Will the points put forward by Mr. Öcalan be realized or not? The decisive factor in the process will be whether these points are put into practice.”
Öcalan must be released
Ezio Menzione underlined the importance of Abdullah Öcalan meeting with his lawyers after six years and continued: “Allowing this meeting is important, but it is not a solution. The same applies to the other prisoners in Imrali. It is crucial that they can benefit from their existing rights to meet with lawyers. Of course, this meeting is not the only matter I care about. I want Mr. Öcalan to be released as soon as possible.
Even though it seems paradoxical, Devlet Bahçeli himself once demanded that Öcalan be allowed to speak directly in parliament. This demand, in a way, implies Mr. Öcalan’s freedom. On this point, I agree with Bahçeli. However, most likely, the prospect of Mr. Öcalan gaining his freedom is still not on the agenda.”
Öcalan is developing a new perspective
Menzione stated that he felt a shift toward a new democracy in Abdullah Öcalan’s statements and in the tone of his words following his lawyers’ visit to Imrali. Menzione also said, “Including his own freedom, he hopes that the issues will be resolved, or at least addressed politically, within the democratic process to be developed. In other words, Mr. Öcalan is developing a perspective. He is speaking with the perspective of a confederal democracy. He wants to build a new democracy in which new laws will be enacted and new steps will be taken, something we have not seen in Turkey.”
Turkey must implement the right to hope
Menzione also addressed the ruling of the so-called “AK ministers’ Committee of Ministers” on the “right to hope,” stressing that Turkey must recognize this right: “I think it was too much for the Committee of Ministers to decide on waiting another year. For three or four years, the orientation of the Council of Europe on this matter has already been clear. Every country must recognize the right to hope. This is the real issue. Many countries have complied with the Council’s view on this matter. Turkey, however, has not yet done so.
What matters is that this issue is now on the table. This is a very serious matter. The Committee of Ministers has given time until June 2026. That means there are nine months left. It may seem like a long time, but I believe the Council of Europe is monitoring very closely the progress of democracy in Turkey. Not only in this case, but the Council is closely following many cases in Turkey. The process the country is going through is also being carefully observed.
They are monitoring the steps taken for democracy and, as Mr. Öcalan has also stated, the legal decisions on which laws should be enacted. These developments are under the attention of all institutions. The case in Imrali is more broadly about the developments between the Turkish government and the Kurdish society. This is the issue that must be resolved in the coming months and in the process ahead.”
Democracy cannot be built while political prisoners remain behind bars
Lawyer Menzione said Turkey should address these issues through democratization without waiting for any ruling and stressed that as long as opposition groups are imprisoned, democracy cannot be built: “Right now, thousands of prisoners, political prisoners are still in jail. People are in prison only because they expressed their thoughts and political opinions. For example, Silivri Prison. To build democracy, these people must be released. Even in Gaza, they released the hostages. So why should thousands of political prisoners not be released? This is the real issue.
Because as long as we keep our opponents, those against the government, behind bars, no democracy can be built. The first step that must be taken is to release these opponents. The right to hope is not something we need the Council of Europe to remind us of; it is the cornerstone of every civilized democracy.
Everyone must at least have the possibility to hope for freedom. Without this hope, there can be no democracy. This is written in the laws of the Council of Europe, but in my view, it should exist in the mind of every democratic person and in the mechanisms of every democratic country.”
The first step must be Öcalan’s freedom
Ezio Menzione said the success of the process requires the Turkish state to take concrete steps in response to those of the Kurdish Freedom Movement, adding that the first step must be the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan and added:
“As I said before, the first thing the Turkish state must do for the success of the process is to release Mr. Öcalan and the political prisoners. Afterwards, we need the steps that Öcalan has described as ‘new democratic laws and legal decisions.’
This process is not only a matter of laws; it is also an administrative matter. Many decisions can be implemented not only through legal regulations but also through administrative measures. Among these, I see as a possibility the introduction of Kurdish-language education in schools.
And not only Kurdish; education should be provided in all other languages spoken in Turkey. Because there are not only Turkish and Kurdish in Turkey. Every community has its own tradition and its own language, and all of them should be free. Everyone should be able to express themselves in the best possible way.
I have a friend in Diyarbakır (Amed) who used to work in the IT sector. Suddenly, he decided to quit his job and start working on language heritage. For several years now, he has been working on this issue. I asked him, ‘Do you think language heritage is a fundamental matter?’ He answered, ‘Yes, of course.’
He told me, ‘You do not understand. Language is the very point at which every Kurd recognizes or defines themselves.’ Language must be free, not only for academics, but for everyone. If I were to list everything the state must do, the list would be very long. For now, these are the first things I hope for.”
It can only be resolved through democracy
Ezio Menzione said, “We must trust in the possibility that a new era may open for the Kurdish people, but also for all of Turkey, and we must work to make this possibility a reality. I imagine a new and democratic Turkey. Because only within a democratic country can the problems of both Turks and Kurds be resolved. This is the real issue. Mr. Öcalan also believes that this matter can only be resolved through democracy, he keeps this in mind, and he attaches great importance to it.”