Thirty-one days have passed since Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Ocalan, together with the Imrali Delegation, issued the 'Call for Peace and a Democratic Society' on February 27. Despite the global attention the call has received, the state has failed to take any concrete steps in response.

The Urfa (Riha) branches of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (OHD) and the Human Rights Association (IHD), along with the Urfa Bar Association’s Human Rights Center, described the call as a source of hope. They emphasized that in order for the process to yield tangible results, the state must act immediately.

Ocalan’s physical freedom must be ensured

Yasin Aktas, Co-Chair of the Urfa branch of the OHD, stated that in response to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) ceasefire call in a military context, Turkey should take the first step by declaring a ceasefire and withdrawing its forces from the Federated Kurdistan Region. Despite the ongoing process and its demands, Aktas noted that the isolation continues, and added: “In order for the process to move forward in a healthier and more constructive way, the first step must be to allow Mr. Ocalan to have physical meetings with his lawyers and family. Subsequently, his physical freedom must be ensured. The next necessary step is to secure the release of ill prisoners in detention. After this, legal reforms must be enacted to address the sentences of other prisoners. A comprehensive legal arrangement should be put in place to ensure the physical freedom of all political prisoners.

Call for legal reform on prison sentences

Serdil Izol, a representative of the Urfa branch of the IHD, described Ocalan’s message as highly valuable.  He said, “Ocalan’s call is clear and direct. The responses from the government and other political parties were also significant. Political prisoners, especially those who are seriously ill, must be released through legal reform. The severe injustices carried out through the judiciary must be corrected. To make this possible, a new constitutional drafting process should be initiated. Additionally, individuals convicted of ‘membership in an organization’ or so-called ‘thought crimes,’ and previously excluded from protections under the constitutional principle of equality, must now be included in such reforms.”

The state has taken no action

Ferhat Oldurur, a representative of the Human Rights Center of the Urfa Bar Association, stated that after Ocalan’s call, the PKK declared a ceasefire, yet despite the time that has passed, the state has not taken any steps.

Oldurur said: "The state must first secure Mr. Ocalan’s physical freedom. In order to secure his physical freedom, the first step must be legal reform. A ruling from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) already exists regarding this matter. In its Second Decision, Turkey itself refers to the ‘right to hope.’ If the state is truly seeking peace, it must act accordingly. Secondly, there is the reality of the trustee appointments. The state must take urgent steps to address this as well."

Oldurur added: "The constitution needs to be restructured around the principle of inclusive citizenship. It must now become a civilian constitution built on consensus. Additionally, the demand for mother-tongue education in Kurdish must be fulfilled. It is essential that the public be included in this process. Lawyers can play a role in the drafting of the new constitution, as they act as intermediaries between the state and the prison population. Therefore, we must be included in any potential reforms concerning the prison system."