The Strasbourg Demonstration Committee issued a written statement and called for participation to the protest held in front of the Council of Europe (CoE) in Strasbourg against the aggravated isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

The Strasbourg Demonstration Committee pointed out that the Turkish state is imposing fascism through destruction of Kurdish cities and villages, taking political representatives hostage, appointing trustees to democratic gains, banning the opposition and free voices in society, and through psychological war. The committee statement said:

“These anti-Kurdish policies have been taken to the international level and turned into a conspiracy with support from hegemonic powers.

Mr. Öcalan, currently under isolation in the Imrali island with no information on his life, has been abandoned in an unknown in front of the whole world to see. It has been 20 years, but he has continued his struggle alone in the Imrali Island as the leader of the Kurdish people’s resistance for freedom. He hasn’t been heard from in the last two years, and hasn’t been allowed to meet with his lawyers for the last 7.

The Turkish state has been emboldened by the silence of international institutions and hegemonic powers and taken the dirty war they wage against the peoples of Kurdistan and the isolation they impose upon Rêber Apo to an unfathomable level.

Leader Apo’s freedom is the ultimate solution for peace and democracy to develop in the Middle East and in Turkey, for peoples, faiths, women and children to live in a world without war in freedom. The genocidal anti-Kurdish policies implemented by the AKP-MHP fascist regime in Kurdistan and the pressure in Turkey are directly related to the isolation in Imrali. The isolation imposed upon Mr. Öcalan targets the Kurdish people as a whole, and freedom in general. Standing against this wave of attacks is a duty for our dignity that can’t be postponed. That is why Mr. Öcalan’s freedom is a fundamental fight for the Kurdish people and forces of democracy.

A different institution or a group take on the demonstration we as the KCDK-E launched in Strasbourg on November 6 for Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom every day from 10:00 to 17:00. Artists will be taking on the demonstration on November 7, the youth on November 8 and co-chairs, representatives from Kurdistani and Turkish institutions, politicians and intellectuals on November 9.

On November 9, all KCDK-E constituents, co-chairs, representatives from Kurdistan and Turkish institutions, organizations, intellectuals, democrats, socialists, internationalist groups, faith communities, women and the youth will be attending the ongoing Öcalan’s Freedom is Our Freedom demonstration in Strasbourg to protest the international isolation imposed upon Mr. Öcalan. We are calling on all conscientious intellectuals, politicians, people of Kurdistan and Turkey, Syriacs, Assyrians, Armenians and representatives from institutions to participate in the protest for one day and show support.”

The demonstration is held at Avenue de l’Europe, 67000 Strasbourg.