After three decades in Turkish custody, political prisoner Ramazan Demir has been released from Karabük high-security prison. On Monday, he was given a ceremonial welcome by a large crowd in Amed (tr. Diyarbakır).
Demir was arrested in October 1994 in the Kurdish province of Bingöl and later sentenced to life imprisonment. Most recently, he spent 14 years in the T-type prison in Karabük. Prior to that, he had been held in various prisons, including in Amed, Malatya, and Ordu.
Demir was greeted by relatives, activists, and local politicians in front of the branch office of the Association for Solidarity with Prisoners’ Families (TUAY-DER) in Amed. The crowd welcomed him with applause, whistles and the slogan “Long live the resistance in prisons.”
In a short speech, Demir explained that there are still numerous prisoners who remain in jail despite having served their sentences. He called on the government to take the Kurdish movement’s offer of peace seriously and called for the “joint establishment of a dignified peace.” He described social commitment to human rights and justice as necessary.