Freedom for Öcalan Initiative has initiated a campaign for the freedom of the Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan in Hewler city of South Kurdistan.

The Initiative held a press conference to announce the initiation of the campaign under the slogan “Freedom to Mr. Öcalan” in Çarçira Hotel in Hewler this morning at 10:15. Reading out the press conference, Initiative member Perwin Eziz said “In order for the continuation of the peace and democratisation process in the form of legal negotiations, the conditions of Leader Öcalan must be improved and his freedom must be ensured”.

Eziz recalled that Öcalan has been held hostage by the Turkish state for 16 years and that the Kurdish people and the liberation movement and its leader are waging a big resistance despite this captivity.

Eziz stressed that they demand unlimited and unconditional freedom of Öcalan and added: “The process of dialogue and negotiations must be taken under the guarantee of law. Conditions must be created in order for Öcalan to meet people from different segments of the civil society during the dialogue process”. Eziz lastly said the democratic actions demanding freedom for Öcalan must be spread to all the cities and districts.

Noting that parliamentarians, political parties, political groups and important figures are supporting the campaign, Eziz called on the people to raise their voices for the freedom of Öcalan.