Dozens of politicians, lawyers, academics and journalists in France, called for the freedom of Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan.

The text of the call titled "Freedom for Öcalan" was published in the Humanité newspaper.

Among the 76 first signatories are philosopher Noam Chomsky, publisher Nil Anderson, filmmaker Carmen Castillo, writer Chloé Verlhac, sociologist Michael Löwy, Parliamentary Group Chair of the France Insoumise party Jean-Luc Melenchon, film director Robert Guédiguian.

The call reads as follows:

“Support our call for the release of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, for peace in Turkey and the Middle East!

The situation in Turkey and the Middle East is spiralling out of control. The international community must act now and demand an end to the violence and bloodshed.

The Kurdish people are the first victims of the attacks.

Despite the heroic efforts of the Kurds to defeat DAESH and build a new society in northern Syria, the world stood in silent as they were attacked, massacred and ethnically cleansed by Turkish troops and their jihadist militia allies.

Between 2013 and 2015, a peace process was in place between the Turkish government and the imprisoned Kurdish political leader Abdullah Öcalan. But, despite repeated calls from the Kurds for a peaceful and negotiated solution to the conflict, President Erdogan abruptly halted this process and opted for a return to violence and bloodshed.

It is time for this to end.

The time has come to launch a new peace process.

The time has come to end the 22 years of imprisonment and inhuman isolation suffered by Abdullah Öcalan and allow him to play his essential role for peace.

The "Freedom for Öcalan" campaign calls on all politicians, civil society and the wider international community to act now, before it is too late.

Support our calls to open the doors of peace:

- Immediate end of the isolation and release of the imprisoned Kurdish political leader Abdullah Öcalan

- End of political persecution against all opposition figures and release of all political prisoners held in Turkish prisons

- End of Turkish military operations in northeastern Syria and Iraq

- A new peace process with the full participation and support of the international community."