Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned on the Turkish prison island of Imrali since 1999, emphasized the importance of the “right to hope” during his most recent meeting with his lawyers. A statement issued on Friday by the Istanbul-based Asrın Law Office, which represents Öcalan legally, said that Öcalan sees the legal implementation of this principle as a task for the state—with far-reaching significance beyond the individual case.
The statement by Asrın Law Office said the following: “On October 13, 2025, we met with Mr. Abdullah Öcalan and our other clients at Imrali Island Prison. During this visit, we exchanged information regarding our clients’ conditions and legal situations. We would like to share Mr. Öcalan’s thoughts and assessments regarding the establishment of peace with the public.
During the meeting, Mr. Öcalan’s legal situation was one of the primary and important topics of discussion in the context of the European Court of Human Rights’ decision on the right to hope. As is known, following its most recent session on September 15-17, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe once again appealed to Turkey and demanded that the right to hope be resolved legally in accordance with the ECtHR decision.
In response to this development, Mr. Öcalan emphasized that the principle of hope is very important and fundamental. He went on to say directly, “The principle of hope is a step that the state must take. It must lift this burden. This is an issue that affects thousands of people. No matter how you look at it, it must be lifted. It must be done from a legal perspective. Both politics and justice demand it,” thereby highlighting the necessity of the law.
In connection with his February 27 ‘Call for Peace and a Democratic Society’, he stated that just as it is necessary for beliefs and sects to express themselves freely, everyone has the right to express their nationality and live freely. He said that Kurds as a whole must be included within the law, stating that this is the true peace. It explained that the rights of Kurds have been disregarded and kept outside the law until now, but that the law of democratic integration must be established today.
While explaining physical and mental imprisonment through exclusion from the law, he emphasized, “Life is meaningful if it is lived freely. I have said this before. ‘O life! Either I will live you freely, or I will consider you never lived.’ That is my motto, my slogan in life.”
It is well known that Mr. Öcalan has identified the root cause of social and political problems as the unequal position of women in relation to men. He has explained that the solution to this inequality is possible through socialist thought and a practice based on women’s liberation. He has stated that he follows Jineology studies with interest and attaches great value to them, and he has sent his special greetings to all women and prisoners in detention centers.
He invited those who wish to understand him to deepen the process of peace and democratic society we are going through and to participate in this process. He emphasized the importance of working for freedom in terms of developing and putting this process into practice.”