In his written statement, Ömer Öcalan commemorated Vedat Türkali, who died on 29 August, 2016, and said: “It has been 6 years since the death of Vedat Türkali, one of the greatest masters of both the revolutionary and socialist struggle and revolutionary literature that flourished in this land. Until the end of his life, Türkali has been the voice of the oppressed and those who resist, both with his words and his stance. Vedat Türkali, the great master of words who wrote the precious stories of workers, revolutionaries, women and resisting peoples, did not take a step back from the attitude of revolutionary art that does not bend, puts the word into action and puts the action into words.”

The statement added: “Türkali, who walked side by side and shoulder to shoulder with the workers, oppressed and Kurds even in the most difficult times of Turkey's history, never walked away from his words and actions for the solution of the Kurdish problem on the basis of equality, freedom, honourable and lasting peace, and never compromised his responsibility of being an intellectual. Vedat Türkali, holds a special place in the memory of all peoples, especially the Kurdish people, with this honourable stance. He continues to be an inspiration in the struggle for peace, freedom, equality and democracy today.

Türkali, who took the responsibility of being an intellectual in all difficult periods of Turkey's political history, uncompromisingly defended the socialist and revolutionary struggle, the freedom struggle of the Kurdish people and the oppressed peoples, on every ground in the political struggle that extended to our party HDP.

We commemorate Vedat Türkali, the brave and conscientious writer of Turkish literature, the great master of words and a person of peace, with respect and longing on the 6th anniversary of his death.”