The remains of journalist Hüseyin Aykol were brought from Sincan Training and Research Hospital to the Yılmaz Güney Hall of Çankaya Municipality.
Abdullah Öcalan sent a message to the ceremony held for Aykol. The message was read by Imrali Delegation member Faik Özgür Erol.
The message reads as follows:
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Hüseyin hoca [teacher]. I extend my condolences to his family, the free media, his comrades in struggle, friends, and loved ones.
His last wish was to do an interview with me. This wish is very meaningful and valuable to me. We had the opportunity to meet and conduct an interview with Hüseyin Hoca in the early 1990s. Had it not been for his sudden loss, I would have liked to see him, meet with him, and have a conversation.
He was an internationalist figure who devoted his life to the revolutionary struggle, and he was a very dear friend and comrade to me. He was an extremely honest and hardworking person.
We have lost an intellectual who became the voice of truth, a journalist, and an irreplaceable revolutionary and internationalist leader. Throughout his life of struggle, with his words, his pen, and his stance, he was always a guiding pioneer, an exemplary revolutionary.
In my eyes, he was a comrade in struggle of unique value, like Gurbetelli Ersöz and Sırrı Süreyya Önder.
The life of Hüseyin Aykol is the embodiment of the search for truth and social responsibility. He became the voice of truth against darkness and an indefatigable standard-bearer of the free press.
In the struggle for freedom and equality of the peoples to which he dedicated his life, he never hesitated for a moment; with unwavering faith, he never let the flag fall to the ground until his last breath and fulfilled his responsibilities with dignity.
His struggle, ideals, and labor will continue to live forever in the conscience of these lands.
We will be the followers of the ideals, thoughts, struggle, and great labor he left behind.
We will honor his memory with respect in our struggle.
Once again, I extend my condolences to his family, the free press, his comrades in struggle, friends, and loved ones.
Abdullah Öcalan
Imrali”