A vigil by the Democratic Kurdish Community in Switzerland has been taking place in front of the UN headquarters in Geneva since 25 January 2021. Every Wednesday, activists stage a protest in front of the United Nations building to demand the release of Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan. The action is carried out as part of the ‘Dem dema azadiye’ [Time for Freedom] campaign and is directed against the isolation of the Kurdish leader on the Turkish prison island of Imrali, the Turkish occupation attacks on Kurdistan, the massacres committed in Kurdish territories and the silence of the UN. Demonstratos call on international institutions to fulfill their responsibilities to secure Öcalan’s physical freedom.
During this week’s demonstration, which is held at a tent set up in Nations Square where the UN Office is located, activists reiterated their call on international institutions to ensure the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, who has been incarcerated in Imrali Island Prison in Turkey since 1999.
The protest this week began with a one-minute moment of silence in memory of those who lost their lives, including Şahoz Suruç (Şêxmus Budak), Bahtiyar Xemgîn Roj (Muhammed Emin Erol), Avesta Cizîr (Nursel Dalmış), Arjîn Pêşeng, and the victims of the Anfal genocide.
Naile Budak, Co-Chair of the Geneva Democratic Kurdish Community Center, stated that the losses suffered by the Kurdish people in different geographies are shared and valuable, saying, “All our martyrs are the light of the Kurdish people.” Budak emphasized that the people owe their existence to these sacrifices and that they will continue to preserve their language, culture, and history.
İbrahim Yüksel, spokesperson of the Association of Martyrs’ Families (KOMAW) in Geneva, recalled that 180,000 Kurds were killed in the Anfal Genocide and condemned the mass slaughter.
The press statement pointed out that the democratic society process initiated under the leadership of Abdullah Öcalan is a source of hope for the Kurdish people, Turkey, and the Middle East. It emphasized that the freedom of peoples can only be achieved in a democratic and peaceful society.
The statement remarked that concrete steps must be taken for the process to progress, warning that, in the contrary case, problems may deepen and the risk of provocations may increase. It described the dissolution of the PKK and the laying down of arms by some guerrilla groups as positive steps toward peace.
On the other hand, the statement criticized the government in Turkey for not taking steps serving the process, for attempting to gain time, and for using a toxic discourse under the slogan of a “terror-free Turkey.” It noted that dialogue and confidence-building measures are necessary for lasting peace.
The activists also appealed to the Turkish state, stressing that Abdullah Öcalan’s physical freedom must be ensured, his status recognized, and that he should be allowed to communicate with the public. They also called for legal arrangements for prisoners who have been in detention for a long time.
The protesters stated that they will continue their demonstrations in front of the UN until their demands are met.
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