The Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Vigil has been held in Strasbourg since 2012 to demand the freedom of the Kurdish people’s leader. The action has entered its 697th week and this week was taken over by a group of Kurdish activists from the city of Kiel.
Members of the Kiel group, Şêxmus Efrîn, Rojîn Xelîl, Bedia Şimşek, and Meryem Hüseyin, made statements at the vigil site in Strasbourg. The group reiterated that their struggle for the freedom of Leader Öcalan and the democratic solution to the Kurdish question would continue.
In his speech, Şêxmus Efrîn called on the Kurdish people, saying: “We joined this vigil for the freedom of Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan]. We want freedom in all four parts of Kurdistan.”
Referring to the march to be held in Cologne on 8 November to demand Öcalan’s freedom and a solution to the Kurdish question, Efrîn added: “We call on all our people in Europe to participate in this march with enthusiasm.”
Rojîn Xelîl said: “We can only be free when our Leader gains his freedom,” and expressed her wish for the unity of all parts of Kurdistan.
Since 2012, the Freedom Vigil has been carried out each week by Kurdish activists coming from different European cities.