The Syria Initiative for Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan issued a written statement calling for the physical freedom of the Kurdish people’s leader.
The initiative’s statement reads as follows: “More than 27 years have passed since Leader Apo was abducted from Nairobi Airport in Kenya on February 15, 1999, as a result of an international conspiracy and has been held captive in the Imrali Prison.
Ensuring the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan has become an urgent and unavoidable necessity for the start of the second phase of the peace process and for the resolution of the Kurdish issue. In particular, Öcalan has been subjected to a long period of severe isolation that violates human rights and human dignity as defined in international agreements. Moreover, Öcalan is now 77 years old and his health is in a critical condition, and attention must be paid to his health in a way that will allow him to resume his important role as a negotiator with Turkish state authorities.
For years, Öcalan has called for a peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish issue and has emphasized his commitment to dialogue and coexistence. Therefore, ensuring his physical freedom is essential for the future of peace, stability, and democracy in the region, and especially for the resolution of the Kurdish question.
After his second cataract operation, the deterioration of his health has made this need even more urgent and important. The recent visits by his family and lawyers, and the statement made by his brother Mehmet Öcalan after his latest prison visit, have revealed that his health is in a critical condition and that he must be released as soon as possible.
The continuation of Öcalan’s captivity constitutes an obstacle to a genuine process of peace and integration and shows that the Turkish state is not serious about encouraging dialogue and building trust. Ensuring his physical freedom will be a fundamental step toward the success of the peace process and the establishment of real trust. This is a right recognized by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) more than ten years ago. It should also be noted that the Committee of Ministers of the European Union has given the Turkish state eight months to release Leader Apo, and that this period is about to expire for the third time.
Therefore, as the Syria Initiative for Freedom for Öcalan, we call on all international institutions and organizations to fulfill their human rights obligations. We call on the Kurdish people and everyone struggling for peace and democracy to take responsibility in supporting this historic step. The release of Leader Öcalan is not merely an individual issue, but a matter of national importance. It is an important step toward achieving peace, stability, and democracy in the region and demonstrates a genuine commitment to international humanitarian values.”