The Central Executive Board (MYK) of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) convened under the presidency of the Co-Chairs, Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan.

The meeting, held at the party headquarters in Ankara, will discuss the talks between the Dem Party İmralı Delegation with Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Island Prison on 22 January.

According to reports, the suggestions and warnings voiced by Öcalan for a solution to the Kurdish question will be the focus of today’s meeting.

At the MYK meeting, the party officials will draw up a road map on how the delegation will act after the second meeting with Öcalan.

Based on the road map to be prepared, the party is expected to convey Öcalan’s messages to the public through different actions and activities.

Background

On 28 December 2023, members of the DEM Party Imrali delegation, Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder, visited Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Island Prison in the Sea of Marmara. During the visit, the Kurdish leader conveyed messages aimed at finding a solution.

Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan held a second meeting with Abdullah Öcalan on 22 January. Following this meeting, which lasted four hours, the delegation briefed the DEM Party leadership. 

In a statement about the meeting on 23 January, the delegation said: “Mr. Öcalan's work on the process continues. Necessary explanations will be made to the public after his preparations on this subject are completed. As a delegation, we will carry on our work and talks, and we will inform the public as developments take place. This process will help everyone, all of us, live together and freely. We look forward to the valuable contributions of all social segments in the hope that this will be made possible.”

Since 28 December, the delegation has met with the heads of political parties represented in the Parliament, imprisoned politicians in prison, DEM Party components and various circles.

The delegation’s visits and meetings began on 3 January with the Speaker of the Parliament, Numan Kurtulmuş, and continued with meetings with the leaders and representatives of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Future Party, Justice and Development Party (AKP), Felicity Party (SP), Republican People's Party (CHP), Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), and the Re-Welfare Party (Yeniden Refah Partisi).

On 11-12 January, the delegation also met with HDP former co-chairs and politicians currently in prison, including Figen Yüksekdağ, Selahattin Demirtaş, Leyla Güven, and Selçuk Mızraklı.

In a statement on 17 January, the DEM Party İmralı Delegation said: “The main focus of our meeting agendas was to convey the results of our discussion with Mr. Öcalan and evaluate the new developments together. These discussions centered around finding a lasting solution to the Kurdish question and the resulting conflict, the historical responsibility to strengthen the Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood, the obligations arising from the deep and irreversible developments in the Middle East, and the recognition of the Parliament and democratic politics as the most important platforms for resolving these issues.”

The statement pointed out that: “Our impression from these meetings is that there is a shared desire and will among all political parties to move beyond the conflict and tension caused by the Kurdish question. There is a shared understanding that fostering the unity and brotherhood of all ethnic, religious, and sect groups in our country would benefit everyone. A parallel feeling is that the peace process should also contribute to general democratization and the expansion of the democratic political space.”