DEM Party MP Ömer Öcalan met with Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan, after 43 months during which he was denied any contact with the outside world. The visit had a wide repercussions in both national and international public opinion. In his message to the public through his nephew Ömer Öcalan, the Kurdish people’s leader emphasized that the isolation in Imralı continued and said: "If the conditions are right, I have the theoretical and practical power to move this process from a ground of conflict and violence to a ground of law and politics."

Laurence Fehlmann Rielle, a member of the Swiss Socialist Party Federal Parliament and a supporter of the global initiative "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, Political Solution to the Kurdish Question", talked to ANF about the importance of the Kurdish people’s leader’s message.

‘Important to get news from Abdullah Öcalan’

Fehlmann Rielle said: "This new development after 44 months of isolation is quite surprising, because Abdullah Öcalan has not been able to meet with his relatives and especially his lawyers since March 2021. We know that this isolation has caused concerns about Öcalan’s health and mental state.

Öcalan, who normally has the right to be released, has been held in isolation for 25 years. Again, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) visited Imralı, but it has not yet published its final report, and we also know that Öcalan has not used the available tools to express his views on the conditions of detention. The fact that Öcalan was able to meet with his nephew in this environment is a new situation and important."

Fehlmann Rielle added: “Is this development a sign that the authorities, and especially President Erdoğan, have started to establish a dialogue with Abdullah Öcalan? Abdullah Öcalan still has great influence over the Kurds and remains a key figure in the peace process. Is this a first attempt? Did Ömer Öcalan meet with Abdullah Öcalan as a member of his family or as a representative of the DEM party? Although these questions remain unanswered, let's remain optimistic: This is still a positive sign."

‘Abdullah Öcalan is trying to pave the way for peace’

Fehlmann Rielle stated that the Turkish state should respond to the Kurdish people’s leader’s message, and added: "I think that Abdullah Öcalan is trying to pave the way for peace negotiations with the message he sent. As I mentioned, Abdullah Öcalan continues to be very influential among the Kurds even though he is in prison.

As we see in the message, Abdullah Öcalan is really trying to pressure the Turkish government to mean peace. Perhaps the unstable situation in the world is also a factor in this meeting taking place: Turkey may be feeling pressure. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is very worrying and could increase Turkey’s instability. However, we will have to see if this first meeting will be followed by more, and if something positive will come out of it. In any case, any effort to find a way out of this conflict that has been going on for a very long time will be beneficial. The current state of war is not a profitable situation for either the Kurdish people or the Turks."

'Developments show Öcalan’s power'

Parliamentarian Fehlmann Rielle continued: "We know that the Turkish army has launched attacks on Syria and Iraq. We also know that they want to intimidate the Rojava representatives who are trying to build a more stable and egalitarian society. Turkey wants to establish control zones there. Despite all this pressure, the Kurdish people remain resolute. The Kurdish diaspora in Europe is also very important, and has been protesting for the release of Abdullah Öcalan, especially since October 2023. These protests have undoubtedly resonated. This situation may have led the state and Erdoğan to change their stance."

‘The main goal should be Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom’

Fehlmann Rielle said: "I think it is time to expand the global campaign to ensure Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom. It is necessary to remind everyone that Abdullah Öcalan is part of the solution for the Kurdish people and that it is very important for progressive forces to mobilize in his favor. This also means mobilizing in favor of autonomy for the Kurdish people."