The 12th extraordinary congress of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was held between 5 and 7 May in the Medya Defense Areas. The final declaration and decisions taken during the congress were made public on 12 May. 

Cemal Amed, one of the delegates of the congress, said: "President Öcalan’s 52-year initiative marks the return of an entire people to the stage of history. This process recreated us as a people, as a society, and as human beings. It gave us identity and reconnected us with our historical and social reality. Bringing such a process to a close and initiating a new phase of struggle represents, in light of the meaning carried by this 52-year resistance, a truly exceptional and significant moment in our history."

A new phase of struggle

Amed added: "The 12th congress is profoundly historic in that it signifies both the conclusion of 52 years of resistance and the beginning of a new phase led by President Öcalan. The process initiated by his call on 27 February marks the beginning of a new historical era. For the Kurdish people and other oppressed peoples in the region, this congress, like the founding congresses, stands as a deeply meaningful milestone. The next phase aims to give meaning to this historic moment and represents the start of a new struggle in which the values of freedom can be realized for the Kurdish people and all oppressed communities. The congress embodies the completion of a 52-year-long resistance and the start of a new revolutionary journey.

President Öcalan embodies the uniqueness of our truth

This 52-year struggle represents both an end and a beginning. It reflects the unique truth embodied in President Öcalan. Building a new beginning upon such a legacy of resistance is unprecedented in revolutionary history. President Öcalan is making this possible. By transcending traditional notions of sovereignty and power and embodying the values of freedom he has defined, he advances the idea and practice of continuous liberation. As reflected in his writings, it means staying in motion, never hardening, never becoming an authority, never becoming matter, and never reproducing domination over society. His line of women's liberation, drawing strength from the energy and paradigm of women’s freedom, has become the foundation of the Kurdish Freedom Movement and is increasingly guiding the liberation of all the peoples in the region and of all oppressed individuals. This was a central pillar of the congress. A historical process of freedom has acquired even deeper meaning, understood as a state of flow and emergence. The determination, enthusiasm, and sense of ownership that emerged among comrades throughout the congress made this clear."

A new revolutionary breakthrough

Amed continued: "Ending the PKK’s existing model of struggle and opening a new phase marks a historic breakthrough by President Öcalan. Although emotional, this transformation reflects a strategic evolution that unifies the Kurdish revolution, the regional revolution, and a global revolution for humanity. The revolutionary breakthrough declared on 27 February signals the beginning of a new struggle that integrates a socialist perspective for all humanity with the Kurdish people’s quest for freedom. It represents a moment of great responsibility, deep emotion, strong enthusiasm, and powerful morale. Preparing such a historic transition and crowning it with a new beginning is the essence of the 12th Congress. The goal is to elevate the 52-year resistance into a broader and more magnificent struggle for liberation that encompasses all of humanity. This spirit defined the congress, as well as the determination and collective emotion of all participants. In this spirit, we extend our deepest respect and gratitude to President Öcalan, who envisioned and prepared this process.

Responsibility from this point forward

The congress formally announced the martyrdom of comrades Fuat and Riza. In honoring them, we also paid tribute to the heroic martyrs of our 52-year struggle for freedom. Staying true to their memory and dedicating this new phase to them captured the spirit, enthusiasm, and resolve of the congress. Throughout five decades of resistance, the peoples of Kurdistan, guided by President Öcalan’s path, have never taken a single step back in the face of enemy aggression, repression, or coercion. From now on, fulfilling our responsibilities to these martyrs was adopted as a central principle and decision of the congress. Launching a new phase after 52 years of struggle, deepening our understanding of both President Öcalan’s reality and that of the people of Kurdistan, and uniting this historic process with a new regional and global revolutionary awakening formed the foundational principle of the congress. As comrades, we feel the profound honor of having experienced such a historic moment. Yet this honor comes with a great responsibility. We are fully aware that we must now approach the coming period with this awareness and with unwavering commitment."