Ayşegül Doğan, spokesperson for the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), addressed the latest developments at a press conference held at the party’s headquarters.
Doğan began her remarks by wishing peace, tranquility, and fraternity on the occasion of the month of Ramadan.
Parliamentary commission report
Ayşegül Doğan said that their “most important” and “primary” agenda is the work of the parliamentary commission. Doğan said, “The joint report was one that everyone was watching closely. There was an expectation about what would come out of this commission, what it would recommend, and what kind of new legislative work it would propose to parliament. Work and hearings have been ongoing since August. The process was carried out in full view of the public, with all its shortcomings and tasks that still need to be done. We have explained many times here how important we consider the establishment of the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission.”
Broadest consensus
Doğan said that it is valuable for this issue to be discussed with the participation of all political parties, and added: “We have stated that in many missed opportunities until now, parliament did not play the role and function it should have played, and what this has cost Turkey. From this perspective, the will demonstrated by parliament, the fact that this process has taken place in a pluralistic manner, and that politics has, as far as possible, reached this point with the broadest possible consensus and the widest agreement, are of course important for us as well.”
Nothing came easily
Ayşegül Doğan continued her remarks by saying: “As the DEM Party, we are grateful to everyone who has said that they will continue to insist on staying at the table. Because the solution to this issue lies in expanding the space for democratic politics. With that sense of responsibility, we have carried this work forward with meticulous care. That is why nothing came easily. Nothing happened as easily as it was thought or appeared. We said this before, after the commission was established on August 5. Again, immediately after our Central Executive Committee meeting, we said two days later that our party would make every effort to ensure that the work of the parliamentary commission reaches an effective and lasting outcome and that the steps to follow are realized.”
Some of our warnings were reflected in the report, others were ignored
Doğan said that some of the warnings they had made were reflected in the report, while others were ignored. She said: “We will not forget the memory of those who spoke the truth, taking every risk. Many people were heard before reaching this stage. Different institutions were also heard. We owe them thanks as well. Despite all the shortcomings of the commission report, the fact that it was able to emerge in this form owes much, especially in the sixth and seventh sections, to the hearings regarding recommendations on democratization and on the legal steps and legal regulations to be taken from now on. For this reason, we extend our thanks on behalf of the DEM Party not only to the political parties involved in this process, but to everyone who contributed directly or indirectly.”
The first phase has now been formally completed
Doğan said that Abdullah Öcalan also conveyed the same message to the DEM Party’s Imrali delegation during the most recent meeting and added: “The first phase has now been formally completed. A new phase has begun, and we can consider this report as the official beginning of the second phase. From now on, there is a need for a new timetable. The commission also sets out in detail in its report how this new timetable is expected to function. However, how these headings will be filled in and how they will be implemented are among the questions that the public has been most curious about since yesterday and has been raising intensively.”
We would have wanted the report to also carry the signatures of TIP and EMEP
Ayşegül Doğan said that the report should serve as a path-opening step at such a critical stage, and that work on legal arrangements should begin without delay in implementing the findings and recommendations set out in the report. She added that parliament should from now on devote all its legislative work to resolving this issue and to the steps required for Turkey’s democratization. Doğan also said: “A final report that the commission members could agree on was expected. Now, despite all the debates, that report has been completed. We would have liked to see a report that all 51 members could have voted in favor of, but that did not happen. The warnings, the issues that were highlighted, and the reservations that were deemed necessary to be included should of course be considered. However, we would have wanted the report to carry the signatures of the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP) and the Labour Party (EMEP) as well, despite all their criticisms.”
It is impossible to build the new with the language of the old
Ayşegül Doğan said it must also be stated clearly that it is impossible to build something new with the language of the old, and that the old language must therefore be abandoned. She said this has been one of their most fundamental warnings from the very beginning. Doğan said: “We see that there is still an insistence on the old language in the report. There are so many reasons to abandon this language. Turkey has gone through painful experiences and should have drawn lessons from them. There is also a rational dimension to this. The region has changed, and the issue we are talking about is a rights and freedoms question with many dimensions and layers, including historical, sociological, and economic aspects. We are discussing the consequences created by the politics of denial. When discussing these consequences, it is necessary to present them in a realistic way, so that the path ahead can be pursued accordingly. Otherwise, in a period when domestic and foreign policy are so intertwined, failing to assess the changing regional dynamics and shifting parameters while evaluating the process ahead, and failing to approach this historic opportunity together with its fragile points, could place serious strain on all of us. The terminology used in the joint report, such as the ‘Terror-Free Turkey’ process, ‘terrorist organization,’ and ‘the scourge of terrorism,’ does not reflect a realistic framework. The Kurdish issue has not been resolved for decades through such a reductionist approach. That is why we are calling for this approach to be abandoned.”
The Kurdish issue cannot be framed as a terrorism issue
Ayşegül Doğan said that the name National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission could have been a source of inspiration and could have strengthened public trust among broader segments of society, but that this option was not chosen. Doğan said, “We expressed our objection to this and our rejection yesterday in the commission, together with its historical reasons. As you know, we define the current process as the Peace and Democratic Society Process, named after the call, made by Abdullah Öcalan on February 27, 2025. We are conducting all our work in line with this framework. Moreover, the struggle for peace and democracy is the name of the struggle we have waged for decades and is the very reason for our existence. The Kurdish issue cannot be seen as a terrorism issue.
Narrow frameworks, old descriptions, and outdated definitions must be abandoned. There are possibilities for languages to coexist on an equal and free basis.”
Legal steps should be considered for Kurdish
Doğan said that the upcoming International Mother Language Day on February 21 has once again brought the issue to the public agenda, adding that Turkey has long held debates on this matter. She said: “Turkey is a multilingual country; Turkey is a multi-identity country. There are possibilities for these languages to coexist on an equal and free basis. In addition, after Turkish, the most widely spoken language in Turkey is Kurdish. In the period ahead, legal arrangements and legislative steps should of course be considered to ensure the free use of Kurdish and its free existence in the public sphere. This was not on the agenda of this commission, because it is also a constitutional matter, and the commission stated from the very first day that it would not discuss constitutional issues.”
This is a historic test for all of us
Doğan said: “These headings finding concrete expressions will be the real test of the Peace and Democratic Society Process from now on. This test is a historic test for all of us. Following what comes next, ensuring that parliament swiftly places the recommendations of the report on its agenda and carries out work in this direction, is not only the responsibility of political parties. As the DEM Party, we are calling from here on everyone who came to the commission to share their ideas and views, those who wanted to but could not, and all those who wish to contribute directly or indirectly to resolving this issue: we must follow the joint report and remember that its recommendations are binding. We also see debates around this. The report has put forward recommendations and proposals. There are justified concerns, and people are asking whether these recommendations will be considered by parliament, whether the executive branch will follow through and take ownership, and whether they will be implemented. Yes, on behalf of millions, we must now collectively follow this report and ensure that it is implemented.”
We will be the narrators and organizers of the process
Doğan also said: “Of course, the report is not our only agenda. As you know, we are entering a period when the streets, public spaces, and squares will become more active. March 8 is approaching, and March 21 Newroz is approaching as well. As a political party that has always been in the streets and in the squares, we will further intensify this. We have stated from the very beginning how vital the socialization of the peace and democratic society process is, and we are trying to meet with you everywhere. We attach great importance to these meetings to explain the process, to listen to concerns, to incorporate your criticisms and suggestions into the roadmap, to build the roadmap together, and to produce our action and discourse together. In the period ahead, we will be the narrators and organizers of this process. Because this process can only rise on the shoulders of those who intervene in it sincerely, and ultimately it will succeed through their efforts.”
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