The 2026 Newroz celebrated in Istanbul stood out as one of the most massive and vibrant gatherings in recent years, while also serving as a strong expression of the Kurdish people’s stance on the process, marking the first anniversary of Abdullah Öcalan’s 27 February call. Kurds who filled the squares across Turkey made it clear, through the posters they carried and the slogans they chanted, that they stand behind Öcalan’s call.
Çınar Altan, Co-Chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Istanbul Provincial Organization, spoke to ANF about the messages conveyed by the crowd at the Istanbul Newroz and shared his assessment of the upcoming period.
Newroz became a declaration of will
Çınar Altan said that the 2026 Newroz was decisive in terms of assessing the past year and understanding how the public has approached the process. He noted that the year following the 27 February call provided an important period for both grasping the process and evaluating the steps that remained incomplete.
Altan stressed that this Newroz was not only a celebration but also a moment in which the public clearly expressed its views and demands regarding the process. He said that Newroz grounds, both in Istanbul and other cities, became spaces where this collective will was reflected.
Kurdish people reaffirmed their commitment to the struggle
Çınar Altan stated that despite steps taken over the past year, mutual responsibilities have not been fully fulfilled, and said that the 2026 Newroz served as a response to these shortcomings. He added that the Kurdish people have continued to stand firmly behind their long-standing struggle, with millions embracing it even more strongly.
Altan said that the most fundamental demand expressed in Newroz squares was the recognition of the Kurdish people’s national existence. He emphasized that this demand goes beyond the recognition of identity and includes legal and legitimate recognition of collective rights. He underlined that securing all rights, especially the right to mother-tongue education, forms the core of this demand.
Isolation must end, political prisoners must be released
Çınar Altan said another key demand voiced in Newroz squares was the end of the isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan and the release of all political prisoners. He stated that, to open space for democratic politics, it is essential to free those imprisoned for political activities.
Altan said that Abdullah Öcalan is both a primary interlocutor in the process and plays a critical role in any resolution. He added that ensuring free working conditions and securing his physical freedom are decisive for the progress of the process.
Returns and local democracy demands come to the fore
Çınar Altan said that one of the prominent demands in Newroz squares was to pave the way for the return of guerrilla forces and those living in exile. He stressed that these returns must be ensured unconditionally in order to strengthen democratic politics.
Altan also noted that ending the appointment of state trustees and strengthening local democracy were among the key demands. He said that obstacles preventing people from governing themselves must be removed.
Newroz is a political space
Çınar Altan said that Newroz has historically carried a political meaning and continues to do so today. He stated that those gathering in Newroz squares are not merely celebrating a holiday but are also voicing their political demands and demonstrating their determination to struggle.
Altan said that Newroz grounds are spaces where people gain awareness and unite around shared demands. He added that the unity emerging in these spaces holds significant importance for political struggle.
Operations target the will of the people
Çınar Altan also addressed the detentions and arrests carried out after Newroz, saying these measures constitute an intervention against the people’s demand for freedom. He stated that the state continues to approach the Kurdish issue through a security-focused perspective and that the persistence of this approach remains one of the biggest obstacles to the process.
Altan noted that the strong presence of youth in Newroz squares was particularly striking. He said that, in response, the state is attempting to intimidate people but stressed that these efforts will not succeed.
Mobilization drive to be launched
Çınar Altan said the DEM Party will launch a new organizing process by taking into account the messages expressed by the crowds during Newroz. He stated that organizing young people will be a primary focus and that the mass that emerged during Newroz will be transformed into an organized force.
Altan emphasized that the party needs to make its organizing tools more dynamic and pluralistic, adding that Newroz clearly revealed this necessity.
Call for united struggle to socialists
Çınar Altan said that Newroz not only reflected the demands of the Kurdish people but also carried a call for united struggle to socialist movements in Turkey. He stated that the national democratic rights of the Kurdish people are directly linked to the democratization of Turkey and that this struggle requires a common ground.
Altan stressed that leftist and socialist forces in Turkey must recognize the demands expressed in Newroz squares. He added that struggling alongside the Kurdish people to achieve these demands is a historical responsibility.
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