Massive protests have taken place in cities of North Kurdistan against the isolation of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan who has been jailed in Imralı Island Prison since 1999.

AĞRI

The isolation imposed on the Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan was protested in Ağrı with a torch march which was participated by hundreds of people alongside HDP Ağrı deputies Leyla Zana, Dirayet Dilan Taşdemir, Mehmet Emin İlhan, Berdan Öztürk and executives of KJA, HDP and DBP. The crowd frequently chanted the slogans “Long live Leader Apo” and “The peace envoy is isolated”, while police attempted to blockade the march but let the crowd continue after a negotiation with the HDP deputies. After the march reached Dörtyol Crossroads, KJA member Naile Barış made a speech saying that the road map developed by the Kurdish Leader is the only possible way to overvome the war in the Middle East and Kurdistan. Barış added that the AKP government imposes denial and annihilation policies despite the efforts of Öcalan to establish peace and urged the AKP government to immediately end the isolation of Öcalan and to provide the conditions for his freedom.

DOĞUBAYAZIT

The isolation of Öcalan was also protested with a torch rally in Doğubeyazıt district of Ağrı. Responding to the call of DBP Doğubeyazıt branch, people gathered in front of the party building and held a march which was also participated by Doğubeyazıt co-mayor Rohat özbay, HDP Ağrı deputy M.Emin İlhan and executives of DBP and HDP. The crowd frequently chanted the slogans “Negotiations and peace with a free leader not with isolation”, “Free future with a free leader”, “Long Live Leader Apo”, “PKK is the people, the people are here”.

IĞDIR

Protest rallies against the isolation of Öcalan in Iğdır were organized by DBP and HDP. The torch march was participated by DBP Iğdır branch co-chairs Murat Yerlikaya, Zübeyde Kaynar, HDP Iğdır branch co-chairs Murat Yikit, Şaziye Önder, members of KJA and DEM-GENÇ in addition to hundreds of local people, who frequently chanted the slogans “Long Live Leader Apo” and “Long Live resistance of YPG”. In the meantime the marchers also protested the police who recorded the rally with cameras.

SİİRT

In Siirt, the isolation of Öcalan was protested at a press conference held at Orhan Doğan City Park. The conference was attended by HDP Siirt deputy Hatice Seviptekin, Siirt co-mayor Tuncer Bakırhan, DBP and HDP branch co-chairs, MEYADER and TUHAD-DER executives as well as hundreds of people.

Speaking on behalf of the group, DBP Siirt branch co-chair Şükrü Timurtaş first stressed that the AKP government and President Erdoğan wants to drag the country into war, while it is Öcalan who can stop the war plans and build peace.

Timurtaş recalled that Öcalan has not been allowed to meet his lawyers since July 2011 and that the AKP government is taking the revenge of the election results by isolating Öcalan in Imralı Island, which could otherwise turn into an Island of Peace. Timurtaş said the AKP government is at the stage of putting its war plans into practice, which will drag the country into a disastrous situation. Timurtaş added that it is only the Kurdish leader Öcalan who can open the ways for democratic politics and hinder the war concept.