The Group for Peace and Democratic Society made the following statement during today’s disarmament ceremony in the countryside of Sulaymaniyah province in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq):

“To Our People and the Public Opinion

As members of the “Group for Peace and Democratic Society”, formed to accelerate the process of Democratic Change and Transformation, we respectfully greet you and all those who witness our historic democratic move.

In order to defend the existence of the Kurds against the denial and annihilation offenses, we, as freedom fighters, male and female, joined the PKK at different times, and waged a freedom struggle in different regions. We are now here to respond to the call Kurdish People’s Leader, Abdullah Öcalan, made on June 19, 2025. Our coming here is, at the same time, based on the call Leader Abdullah Öcalan earlier made on February 27, 2025, and on the resolutions of PKK’s 12th Congress, which convened on 5-7 May, 2025.

In order to ensure the practical success of the “Peace and Democratic Society" process, to wage our freedom, democracy and socialist struggle with methods of legal and democratic politics on the basis of enacting laws for democratic integration, we voluntarily destroy our weapons, before your presence, as a step of goodwill and determination.

We wish that this step will bring about peace and freedom and will have auspicious outcomes for our people, the peoples of Turkey and the Middle East, and all humanity, particularly women and the youth.

We agree wholeheartedly with the remarks of Leader Abdullah Öcalan who maintained “I believe not in arms, but in the power of politics and social peace and call on you to put this principle into practice”. We take great pride and honor in doing what is necessary for this historic principle.

As you know, things did not come about with ease, at no cost, and without waging a struggle. Quite the contrary, all gains came at heavy costs, through struggling tooth and claw. And what follows will definitely need a compelling struggle. We are well aware of this fact, and with the aim of securing more democratic gains, we wholeheartedly believe in the insight and paradigm of Leader Abdullah Öcalan as we trust ourselves and the collective power of our community of comrades.

Given the rising fascist pressure and exploitation around the globe and the current bloodbath in the Middle East, our people are more than ever in need of a peaceful, free, equal and democratic life. In such a context, we fully feel and comprehend the greatness, righteousness and urgency of the step we have taken.

We hope that everyone - the youth and women, laborers and workers, socialist and democratic forces, all the peoples, and humanity - will observe, comprehend, and appreciate the historic value of our step for peace and democracy.

We call on regional and global forces responsible for the sufferings of our people, to respect the utmost legitimate democratic and national rights of our people and support the process of “Peace and Democratic Society”.

We call on all the peoples, socialist and democratic circles, intellectuals, writers, academics, lawyers, artists, and politicians to rightly comprehend our historic step and stand in solidarity with our people. We also call on them to take a more active part in the struggle for the physical freedom of Leader Abdullah Öcalan and a democratic solution to the Kurdish question, and to develop and strengthen the global democratic socialist international struggle and solidarity.

We call on our people and their political forces to rightly comprehend the characteristics of this historic process of “Peace and Democratic Society” developed by Leader APO, to successfully discharge their duties and responsibilities in educational, organizational and operational fields, and to develop a democratic life.

Oppression and exploitation will end; freedom and solidarity will prevail.

The process of “Peace and Democratic Society” will surely succeed.

The Group for Peace and Democratic Society

July 11, 2025"