A group of Kurdish activists from Bonn took over the Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Vigil in Strasbourg. The vigil is in its 708th week. The group consists of Doğan Gedik, Ahmet Seyhan, and Nursel Aydoğan.
Speaking to ANF, group spokesperson Doğan Gedik said: “I respectfully salute Leader Apo and all political prisoner comrades. As you know, there is a vigil in Strasbourg in front of the Council of Europe and the CPT for the freedom of Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan]. We have taken over this vigil on behalf of the Kurdish people from Bonn.
Our struggle for the freedom of Leader Apo will continue. The freedom of Leader Apo means our freedom and the freedom of the Kurdish people. As you know, and as the world public also knows, Leader Apo has initiated a historic process for over a year now. In this historic process, we as Kurds living in Europe have fulfilled our historical responsibility and will continue to do so.”
Gedik added: “Our demand is that the Turkish state must also take steps regarding this historic process. On the contrary, instead of doing so, it is approaching the Kurdish people with massacres together with gangs in Rojava. We do not accept this and we condemn it. We have a call to the peoples living in Europe.
We expect them to be sensitive to these massacres and to participate in the actions being carried out. And on this occasion, we once again demand that the Turkish state give the necessary positive response in this historic process and, especially, that the peoples living in the Middle East be able to live together as brothers and sisters, in peace, side by side.”