Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan held a press conference regarding the DEM Party Central Executive Board meeting and current developments.
At the meeting held at the party’s headquarters, Ayşegül Doğan drew attention to the war in the Middle East and said that the conflict does not concern Iran alone. She also made assessments regarding the Peace and Democratic Society process.
At the beginning of her speech, Ayşegül Doğan commemorated those who lost their lives in the March 12, 1971 military coup, the Gazi Massacre and the Qamishlo Massacre, and called for a process of confrontation.
Ayşegül Doğan also commemorated Nazım Babaoğlu, who was killed on March 12, 1994 while working as the Urfa (Riha) correspondent of the newspaper Özgür Gündem and going to cover a news story in the district of Siverek (Sêwereg), reminding that no one has yet been brought before the courts over the killing.
Salih Muslim left a lasting mark
Ayşegül Doğan also commemorated Salih Muslim, who passed away on March 11 due to kidney failure at the hospital where he had been receiving treatment. Doğan said: “We are talking about one of the pioneering figures. We are talking about one of the names who left a strong mark on Kurdish politics. At the same time, he left a very significant legacy in the struggle for peace, democracy, and freedom. On behalf of our party, we extend our condolences and patience, first of all to his comrade in struggle and wife Ayşe Efendi, and to the Kurdish people and the peoples of Rojava and Syria.”
Peoples have suffered greatly under an oppressive regime
The key points of Ayşegül Doğan’s remarks regarding the war in the Middle East, the process in Turkey and the situation of Abdullah Öcalan are as follows: “Iran is one of the most repressive states and regimes in the region and even in the world. For decades, women, socialists, workers, different faith groups, minorities and people of different identities living in the country have suffered greatly under this oppressive regime. However, nothing should be turned into a justification for such an intervention and war there.”
The time has come for legal arrangements
Doğan said: “We have stated this before. At the stage we have reached, we must now discuss legal and legislative arrangements. Let us say it once again: social expectations are now focused on moving to this stage of legal arrangements and establishing a clear timetable for it, without postponing it to various future dates.”
Steps that do not require legal arrangements
Doğan said: “We said this before: only a few days remain until the holiday. We said let us do this before the holiday and take positive steps during the month of Ramadan, which is a blessed month. However, it appears that during this period no timetable has yet been presented to the Justice Commission or to the General Assembly of Parliament. Let us repeat our call once again: there are steps that do not require legal arrangements, and these can be taken immediately. By taking these steps, we can increase the joy of both Ramadan Bayram and Newroz and put an end to a great injustice. The decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) can be implemented. The decisions of the Constitutional Court can be implemented. Why is there no regulation for the release of political prisoners? Why are seriously ill prisoners still being held in prisons? What are we waiting for to end this injustice? If our former Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, along with the other prisoners in the Kobani trial, were released and the ECtHR decisions were implemented, if the insistence on the Kobani conspiracy case were abandoned, would these steps not strengthen democracy in Turkey? Would this not be seen as an important sign that the rule of law is functioning again in Turkey? Millions of people are waiting for these decisions to be implemented.”
Abdullah Öcalan must have conditions to live and work freely
Doğan said: “There have been various backstage claims circulating around Mr. Öcalan, as you know, about a house, a residence, or a status. From time to time there are also calls asking, ‘What will happen to this status gap? How will it be closed?’ Some say, ‘Did you see?’ And after the developments in Iran, there are also those asking, ‘Why did this process begin? Have those who were unhappy with the start of this process and looked at it with disdain now understood why it began?’
As the DEM Party, we have been saying since October 2024 that the severe isolation conditions and absolute lack of communication imposed on Abdullah Öcalan constitute a form of torture. We have said that this is a fundamental human rights violation, and we have struggled against it. We stated at the time that we would stand against this practice no matter who it was imposed on. We emphasized that this situation, which has continued for 27 years, must now come to an end. Then a new process began, and more than a year has passed since the call made on February 27, 2025. During this period, two essential messages have come from Mr. Öcalan. One was the message of February 27, 2025, which marked the beginning of concrete steps toward a very important new period. Despite heavy communication restrictions, he assumed great responsibility and took these steps. Turkey has, in one way or another, created new thresholds and crossed certain ones during this process. For example, a new threshold was created when a parliamentary commission went to meet Mr. Öcalan, and this too was passed. We have repeatedly emphasized how valuable all these developments are. However, we have always said one thing: Mr. Öcalan must have conditions to live freely, work freely and communicate freely.”
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