KCK Executive Council Member Mustafa Karasu emphasized that Abdullah Öcalan’s physical freedom is essential for the success of the process, stating: “The people who filled the squares during Newroz sent a message to the Turkish state that no problem can be solved unless Öcalan is free.”
Mustafa Karasu, a member of the KCK Executive Council, made important evaluations on current developments while participating in a special program broadcast on Medya Haber TV.
This year’s Newroz was celebrated with great enthusiasm by millions in Kurdistan and all around the world, and still the celebrations are ongoing. So, to begin with, I want to ask you, how did you experience this year’s Newroz?
First of all, I extend my greetings to our people and to Rêber Apo [Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan] on the occasion of Newroz and Eid al-Fitr. I hope that both will be taken as a cause for peace, democracy, and freedom. I would also like to take the opportunity to respectfully and gratefully commemorate our great martyrs of Newroz: Mazlum Doğan, Zeki Alkan, Rahşan Demirel, our comrades Berîvan and Ronahî, and Sema Yüce. Again, comrades Sinanê Sor, Serhat Varto, Serhat Şafak, Navdar Sinegir, and the young Şiyar Faraşin, who fell as martyrs in the Qendîl mountains in 2019. I also commemorate with respect and gratitude our comrades Ahmet Kurt, Selman Doğru, and Mehmet Kurt, who were martyred in Şikestun on March 28, 1980. As is well known, our comrade Mahsum Korkmaz was also martyred on March 28. For this reason, the period between March 21 and March 28 has been labeled the week of the heroes. Thereby, I remember all our martyrs with respect and gratitude.
This year’s Newroz was indeed celebrated with great strength and enthusiasm across the four parts of Kurdistan and abroad. The enthusiasm for these Newroz celebrations was different. First, let me state this: Newroz has always existed in Kurdish history, but the reason this Newroz was so joyful is the 53-year struggle. It ensured that Newroz will always be celebrated by the Kurdish people. It is no longer possible to make this people forget Newroz or erase it from history.
The situation by the 1970s still looked quite different. By the 1970s, the genocide perpetrated against the Kurds was, in a sense, also a genocide against Newroz. Newroz was one of the symbols of the existence of Kurdish identity, yet it had been forgotten. I remember, in 1977, we celebrated a powerful Newroz in Antep. And not only there, but throughout all of Kurdistan. When we celebrated in Antep, the locals were surprised—wondering what was happening—as we gathered tires from all over and lit huge bonfires. Especially since the Kurds already knew, but seeing such a powerful display of fires rising from every direction was still surprising. Of course, another feature of that Newroz was that the fires were lit like that. There was Bankalar Street. All the banks there were bombed. Haki was there during that bombing, Kemal was there, and I was there too. After the banks were bombed, fires were lit everywhere. That’s how we wanted to revive Newroz.
From that day until now, Newroz has grown over the past 53 years to reach where it is today. As the struggle developed, Newroz was celebrated more and more. When Newroz was celebrated with such enthusiasm, it naturally added strength to the struggle, and we’ve reached the Newroz of 2026. Every Newroz is essentially like a Kurdish people’s congress. It has taken the form of a congress where the entire Kurdish people participate, express their feelings and thoughts, and articulate their goals. And the Newroz of 2026 was exceptionally joyful. It was celebrated with great enthusiasm, drawing on the accumulated strength of those 53 years of struggle. Of course, there are great martyrs—Newroz martyrs. Especially in 1992 and 1993, there had been brutal massacres. In the 1990s, there were very many violent attacks on Newroz celebrations. Hundreds of our patriotic people fell as martyrs. Every Newroz became an uprising, and the enemy was afraid. The enemy was afraid of every Newroz. That is why they filled every corner with soldiers and police.
From this perspective, Rêber Apo referred to the Kurdish people as the ‘Newroz people’ and the ‘Serhildan people.’ Indeed, the Kurdish people became the ‘Newroz people’ in the 1990s, and they have continued to deepen the struggle up to the present day, and the struggle has grown across the four parts of Kurdistan. It has brought about very significant developments. It is this 53-year-long struggle that has made this Newroz so joyful. It is our people’s struggle for freedom and democracy. On the other hand, the years leading up to 2026 were years in which the Middle East was being redesigned, and new political balances and a new status quo were sought to be established. There is currently a very comprehensive war underway. The Kurds are fully aware of this. Just as in World War I, the Kurds have once again had all the hardships and difficulties of that war imposed upon them. Just as Kurdistan was divided into four parts, a policy of genocide was implemented against the Kurds. Through 50 years of struggle, 100 years of struggle, the Kurds have now attained a significant level of consciousness.
Now, amid the conditions of this World War III raging in the Middle East, just as in World War I and in its aftermath, they demand to no longer remain without freedom, democracy, or status. The Kurds participated in these Newroz celebrations with this awareness. A key reason these Newroz celebrations were so vibrant is that, amidst this ongoing war, the Kurdish people have taken a stand. By taking this stand, they have demonstrated their commitment to freedom and democracy to everyone. This, of course, ensured that Newroz was celebrated with great intensity. The Kurds are no longer the people they once were; they have become a people fighting for their freedom.
As members of the Apocu movement, as the PKK, our most fundamental goal when we first emerged was this: to create the reality of a people fighting for freedom. This was our primary objective. Because once a people fighting for freedom is created, other goals are naturally achieved. Without creating a people fighting for freedom, it is impossible to attain any goal—freedom, democracy, or status. And now, through this struggle, a people fighting for freedom has truly been created today. This is a tremendous achievement. Currently, the Kurds are not only in the Middle East but are also at the forefront of peoples fighting for freedom worldwide. They stand at the forefront of all peoples in the struggle for freedom. This is a stance created by Newroz. The Newroz consciousness, the Newroz spirit, is also the spirit of freedom. It is also the spirit of democracy. It is also the spirit of rebellion against oppression. In this regard, we saw that our people participated very strongly in this Newroz with this consciousness.
On this occasion, we congratulate all our people who contributed to this strong participation. We believe that their stance, their attitude, and their enthusiasm will undoubtedly lead Kurdistan and the Middle East to a free and democratic reality.
What significance does the strong participation in this year’s Newroz celebrations have? And what message do you take away from it?
Every Newroz has a purpose. As I mentioned, it is like a Kurdish people’s congress held annually in the cause of Newroz. And decisions and declarations are made at that congress. It determines how that year will unfold and what goals must be achieved that year. This year’s Newroz was celebrated as the Newroz for the freedom of Rêber Apo and the Democratic Kurdish Union. The issue of freedom for Rêber Apo is extremely important. Rêber Apo has been in prison for 27 years. Securing the freedom of such leadership is naturally crucial. Rêber Apo has dedicated his entire life to this people. No leader in the world has lived every single second of their life in accordance with their purpose, or sacrificed it, as much as Rêber Apo has. The reality being lived by this leadership is truly a first, an example. This must be emphasized.
Precisely because of this reality—constantly focused on the freedom of the Kurdish people, on democracy, and on the freedom of all peoples—the freedom struggle has always generated new developments. It has overcome crises through Rêber Apo’s dedication, thoughts, and perspectives. Why has he been held in prison for 27 years? Because he waged the Kurdish people’s freedom struggle—because he organized this people, raised their consciousness, awakened them, and brought them into the struggle—Rêber Apo has been held in Imrali prison under the harshest isolation conditions for 27 years. Yes, there are occasional relaxations in the isolation, but this is also only a result of the struggle. As a result of the struggle, the state is under pressure; at times, Rêber Apo issues calls for a democratic solution and declares ceasefires. Negotiations take place on this basis. That is why isolation sometimes eases.
Rêber Apo issued the ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’ on February 27, 2025. Since that day, there has been a ceasefire. There are no clashes. Turkey has been carrying out intense pressure since 2015. Now, there has inevitably been some partial easing there as well. When there are talks or negotiations, the other side will naturally pay attention to certain issues. Rêber Apo’s Call for Peace and Democratic Society has yielded very significant results. To ensure its success, Rêber Apo proposed the dissolution of the PKK and the cessation of armed struggle. We have taken steps in this regard, but a year has passed since then. For this process to be more successful and to move forward, Rêber Apo’s freedom is decisive. It is in this regard that in this year’s Newroz, the people took the demand of the freedom of Rêber Apo as their guiding principle. The people filled the squares to celebrate this year’s Newroz with the call that Rêber Apo must be the subject of negotiations and that negotiations must take place under free conditions.
The people clearly expressed that no problem can be resolved without Rêber Apo’s freedom. It was with this spirit, with these feelings, that the people filled the squares. The Kurdish people’s leader has been in prison for 27 years. The PKK and the Kurdish people’s struggle for freedom are the greatest struggles in the history of Kurdistan. The struggle has been waged uninterrupted for 53 years. How many generations have grown up in this struggle? How many generations have been raised with a consciousness of freedom, democracy, and the liberation of Kurdistan? Rêber Apo created such a societal reality. Knowing that it is Rêber Apo who shaped this reality and brought it to this point, the people naturally filled the squares for Rêber Apo’s freedom. This is very important. This will have a significant impact on the issue of Rêber Apo’s freedom in the coming period.
In this regard, the slogan ‘Freedom for Rêber Apo’ has played a crucial role in making this Newroz so powerful. It is a well-known fact that Rêber Apo, the leader of the Kurdish people, possesses the power to resolve issues, to advance the struggle, to advance freedom, and to advance democracy. They are aware of Rêber Apo’s will and decision-making power. They know he can achieve what no other leader has been able to do. It is from this perspective that the Kurdish people want to see their leader free. They want to achieve a free and democratic life.
There is also the process underway. The Kurdish people also expressed their support for this process. After all, supporting Rêber Apo means supporting the Peace and Democratic Society Process. And slogans calling for freedom for Rêber Apo were chanted everywhere in the squares. Slogans calling for freedom for Rêber Apo were the most fundamental slogans in all the squares. This was evident when looking at the Newroz gatherings.
The participation of women and youth in this year’s Newroz celebrations was quite striking. Newroz was celebrated for days throughout all of Kurdistan, and at its forefront were always women and youth. How do you evaluate this?
In our freedom struggle, women and young people have always and in every aspect been at the forefront. Rêber Apo defines women as the vanguard of our freedom struggle. Kurdish women truly deserve to be the vanguard of the freedom struggle. It was the strong participation of women in the uprisings of the 1990s that ensured their success and maintained their democratic and freedom-oriented character. The strong stance and active participation of women on March 8 also played a significant role in making this Newroz so powerful. March 8 now serves as a harbinger of how Newroz will unfold. This year’s March 8 had already foretold that the Newroz of Freedom, Democracy, and Unity for Rêber Apo would be exceptionally powerful. In this regard, we celebrate women and young people. After all, women have always been at the forefront during Newroz celebrations. Let’s put it this way: women’s stance, their attire, and their demands have become the culture of Newroz.
When one thinks of Newroz, what comes to mind is the stance women display in their traditional attire. Because Newroz has become a cultural value. Women’s stance has played a crucial role in Newroz becoming a Kurdish cultural value. Indeed, women are shaping Kurdish culture through their stance and approach. They are shaping the Kurdish spirit. After all, the geography where women live freely and the mother goddess resides is Kurdistan. In this region, women have always been at the forefront, all the way back to the earliest stages of the Neolithic era. They are the gender that created society. Society was, in fact, created by women. The first forms of social organization also took shape in this region. This tradition—the tradition of the women of this region—is powerfully manifested today during Newroz celebrations. This actually deepens and highlights the character of Newroz as a celebration of freedom and democracy, ensuring that the struggle for freedom and democracy possesses a strong and profound expression of these values. Newroz possesses this character as well.
Through their stance and attitude, Newroz demonstrates what freedom, democracy, and a new way of life will look like in Kurdistan. Kurdish women are the ones who demonstrate this most strikingly. Kurdish women use Newroz to show what the new life will look like, how women will be active in that new life, and how they will adopt a free and democratic stance. In this regard, they truly set an example not only for the Kurdish people but also for the world. Young people, of course, are the future of the Kurdish people. And when we speak of women, we naturally see young women, in particular, as being very prominent during Newroz celebrations. The fact that young people and women are so vibrant in this way gives us all greater hope for the future. The enthusiasm and vitality of the women and young people at Newroz truly give us great hope. It shows that the future will be won.
Let no one give in to pessimism, but be absolutely optimistic about the future. The future will undoubtedly be free and democratic, led by women and young people. This Newroz has demonstrated that. We saw this everywhere—across all four parts of Kurdistan and abroad. It is clear that young people and women, through the spirit of this Newroz, have shown that there will be tremendous progress in the future. This has also, of course, demonstrated the youth’s and women’s embrace of Rêber Apo and what Rêber Apo means for this people. If the youth and women embrace an ideology and leadership, this is clear proof that that ideology and that leadership will bring about great progress. This is how it must be expressed, and this is how it must be seen.
The message prepared by Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan for Newroz was read at the sites where Newroz was celebrated and met with great enthusiasm. How did the Peace and Democratic Society Process influence the level of excitement and enthusiasm at the Newroz gatherings?
Naturally, the Peace and Democratic Society Process had a significant impact on Newroz being so powerful this year. In fact, the most important feature of this year is the Peace and Democratic Society Process. The Peace and Democratic Society Process has brought the Kurdish people’s feelings and thoughts to the surface and developed them this year. The spirit of 2026 is the spirit of a democratic society and peace. The Peace and Democratic Society Process has shaped the 2026 society into this form and shaped Newroz into this form. Because the Peace and Democratic Society Process is not just any process; it is the Kurdish people’s process of liberation. It is the process through which the Kurdish people seek liberation with their own identity and culture and establish their own self-governance. Since the Kurdish people perceive it this way, and since 2026 has been marked by these discussions and evaluations, the impact and politicization it generated naturally made this Newroz very powerful.
Another feature of this year’s Newroz is that it was a highly political Newroz. All Newroz celebrations are political, but this Newroz truly reached its peak in terms of politicization. It revealed the Kurdish people’s stance in this war in the Middle East, their political stance. It brought forth the democratic Kurdish unity. Rêber Apo’s Democratic Society and Peace Project has also ensured the unity of the Kurdish people. Despite the distortions and demagoguery of some, the entire Kurdish people know that the Peace and Democratic Society Process put forward by Rêber Apo will bring them great gains. If it develops, it will bring great gains. The question is, will the Turkish state respond to this, or will it refuse to do so and try to sabotage it? That is a separate issue.
All freedom struggles always seek to achieve results through democratic and political means. Democratic politics, political struggle, and the search for a political solution may take one step, two steps, or three steps. It may not happen in the first attempt, nor in the second or third. These efforts accumulate, and eventually a solution can be reached. This, too, is a struggle. The search for a political solution is also a struggle. The struggle is not waged solely through military methods. The Peace and Democratic Society Process played a role in making this Newroz so joyful. Indeed, the enthusiastic reception of Rêber Apo’s message is proof of this. Rêber Apo’s Newroz message was a program. It was not merely a celebration of Newroz. How can the Kurdish issue be resolved? How can Turkey’s democratization be achieved? How can the democratization of the Middle East be achieved? How can the problems of the Middle East be resolved? These are all addressed in the Newroz message.
The historical essence of Newroz is rooted in the brotherhood of peoples and the alliance of peoples. The brotherhood and alliance of peoples fundamentally express the struggle against despots. In this regard, Rêber Apo has made it clear that the sectarian, ethnic wars, nationalism, and related conflicts currently plaguing the Middle East are not in line with the spirit of Newroz. The spirit of Newroz unites peoples as brothers and sisters in the struggle against oppression. Rêber Apo’s Newroz message was truly very valuable. It was a program for a democratic solution. It was a program for a democratic solution for the Middle East. How will the peoples of the Middle East achieve a free and democratic life? This is very important. We must provide an answer to this. Of course, our freedom movement—the strongest movement in the Middle East—and its leader, Rêber Apo, will provide this answer. Because a solution is needed for the problems in the Middle East.
Rêber Apo also highlighted the historical role of the Middle East. It is a region that has given birth to culture. We cannot accept that this region has come to this state. Therefore, we must work to ensure that this region—which has been called the cradle of humanity and civilization—becomes the cradle of democratic civilization this time as well. This is also one of the purposes of the spirit of Newroz. We must remember this during Newroz. We must remember the brotherhood of peoples during Newroz. Newroz is not merely a dry, empty holiday. Newroz expresses the common struggle of the peoples of the Middle East, their joint struggle against oppression, and their understanding of freedom. In this regard, Rêber Apo, through his Newroz message, has highlighted all the characteristics inherent in Newroz’s content and historical context. On this basis, he has emphasized in his message that everyone must struggle in accordance with the spirit of Newroz and contribute to a free and democratic life in the Middle East.