Sociologist Louis Lemkow from the Autonomous University of Barcelona said Ankara has taken no steps despite European institutions’ rulings on the “right to hope,” and added that the United Nations has likewise avoided assuming responsibility in this process. He stressed that unless Turkey and international institutions take political responsibility, no genuine progress can be achieved, neither on the Kurdish question nor in addressing other conflicts across the Middle East.
The United Nations is as responsible as Turkey
Despite the “right to hope” rulings issued by the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe concerning Abdullah Öcalan, Turkey’s continued failure to take concrete action is unacceptable, Lemkow said, underlining that Öcalan must be released immediately. The issue cannot be reduced solely to the Turkish state, Lemkow added, drawing attention to the fact that the United Nations operates through an extremely slow decision-making process and remains vulnerable to various lobbying efforts and political pressures. He continued: “Not enough pressure has been exerted on Turkey. The fact that the United Nations does not act, or acts only after an extremely long delay, is a serious problem. We have seen this in many recent cases. The United Nations is highly open to all kinds of lobbying, and unfortunately, lobbies advocating for human rights are still not strong enough.”
The first step must be the prisoners
Prof. Louis Lemkow criticized Ankara for taking no concrete steps despite the peace and democracy call made by Abdullah Öcalan on 27 February 2025 and the decision by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to lay down its arms. He said that for the peace process to move forward, the Turkish state must also act. Lemkow said: “Öcalan’s initiative is extremely important and meaningful. Decisions of this kind are very difficult. After many years of armed struggle, taking such a decision on the Kurdish side requires great courage. It is also a step taken toward the future. We have seen similar experiences in Ireland and the Basque Country, and these led to significant changes and created opportunities for peace. From this point on, we would like to see clear signs that the Turkish side is taking concrete steps. This has not yet happened. The first step that must be taken should be the release of political prisoners, starting with Öcalan.”
Positive steps would affect the entire region
Progress between Turks and Kurds would have repercussions not only within the country but across the entire Middle East, Louis Lemkow said, adding that such a development, amid a region marked by constant conflict, would offer hope and serve as an example for other peoples as well. Lemkow referred to what he described as a prevailing structural darkness and said: “‘Nothing can be done, this is impossible’ is often said. That is not true. We have seen in different parts of the world that this is indeed possible.”
A message to Öcalan
Lemkow also sent a message to Öcalan and said: “After being held in solitary confinement for many years, making such a call for disarmament is a great demonstration of courage and vision. It also shows how significant your stance on equality and inequality truly is. What you have done is an inseparable part of the peace process, and for that I thank you. Of course, being able to meet face to face one day would be an extraordinary encounter for me. But at this moment, the most important thing is your release and your ability to participate directly in the negotiations.”