The Freedom for Öcalan Vigil has been ongoing since 2012, demanding an end to the isolation system on İmralı Island and the physical freedom of Öcalan, continues in its 679th week with a new group.

The vigil is held in Strasbourg, where institutions like the Council of Europe, the CPT, and the European Court of Human Rights are located.

The vigil is carried out weekly by different groups, all demanding the lifting of the isolation imposed on Öcalan and securing his physical freedom.

This week’s vigil was taken over by activists Serhat Yıldız, Faruk Türkhan and Taylan Akdemir from the Kurdish People’s Assembly in Basel.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Serhat Yıldız greeted Abdullah Öcalan and the Kurdish people, stating that they could no longer tolerate the conditions of isolation. He said, “We demand the freedom of our leader. We call on democratic institutions in Europe to fulfill their responsibilities. The CPT is against us, but the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, and the ECHR are behind us.”

Yıldız drew attention to the conflicts in the Middle East and said that they were not taking sides in this war. He remarked that they adopted Öcalan’s “Third Way” approach and defended a system in which peoples could live in equality and freedom.

Yıldız stated that they believe the freedom of the peoples of the Middle East, especially the Kurdish people, is linked to the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, and that they will continue their vigil with this belief. He called on the Kurdish people to participate more strongly in the process initiated by the Kurdish leader.