The Freedom for Öcalan Vigil launched on 25 June 2012 by the "Freedom for Öcalan Initiative" to demand freedom for the Kurdish people's leader and the lifting of the isolation imposed on him has reached week 461.

A new group of activists from Frankfurt has taken over the action, which is carried out in Strasbourg, in the area where European institutions such as the CPT are located.

Necmettin Aydın, Ali Kınay, Hakan Boyraz and Mecit Elçik are the activists taking part in the vigil, which is held between 7.30 am and 4.30 pm every day.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Necmettin Aydın said that Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan represents the will of the Kurds and that this vigil is the way for them to defend this. Aydın added that the isolation imposed upon Kurdish people's leader Öcalan is actually imposed on the Kurdish people and all peoples seeking democracy.

Aydın continued: "The liberation of our Leader would mean that the Kurdish people would have reached the solution they desire."

Aydın condemned the silence of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) affiliated to the Council of Europe and pointed out that the Turkish State committed a crime against humanity in front of the world’s eyes and that the European institutions were partners in this crime with this silence.

Calling for the CPT to fulfil its mission, Necmettin Aydin said that the Kurdish people will end the isolation by supporting the hunger strike carried out by the political prisoners for almost five months.