The Freedom for Öcalan Vigil was launched on 25 June 2012 in Strasbourg, to demand the end of isolation in Imrali and the release of the Kurdish People’s Leader.

The vigil has reached week 653 and has been taken over by a group of activists from the United Kingdom. The group, which consists of members of the Sheffield Democratic Kurdish Community Center, included Ismet Serhad and Gezgör Kanîreş.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Ismet Serhad said: "The physical freedom of Leader Öcalan also means a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. As Kurdish people, we will both liberate our Leader and protect our achievements."

Serhad added that everyone should raise their voices against the Turkish attacks against Rojava, and called on Kurds to defend the revolution. “Just as we defended Kobanê ten years ago, - he said - we must defend Rojava today. We must work for our national unity in order to protect our achievements.”