As the Kurdish people take to the streets about the concerns for Öcalan’s safety and the recent speculations on Turkish media regarding his health, the sit-in in Strasbourg, France has started.

Dozens of Kurdish institutions, individuals and allies have called for an indefinite sit-in against the apathetic approach of the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), and hundreds of people are participating.

Kurds and their allies have flocked to the CoE and CPT from the morning hours, chanting slogans for the freedom of Kurdish People’s Leader. The crowd also chanted slogans to urge the CPT and the CoE into action.

The press statement kicked off the sit-in where individuals and representatives of dozens of institutions are giving speeches.

KOÇ: “THE CPT MUST SEND A COMMITTEE”

European Kurdish Democratic Society Congress (KCDK-E) Co-chair Yüksel Koç demanded that the concerns over the safety and health of the Kurdish People’s Leader be heeded.

Koç stressed that the demonstrations will not end before the Kurdish people receive certain information on the safety and security of Öcalan and called on the CPT to fulfil their duty at once.

HDP Şırnak MP Faysal Sarıyıldız spoke in the demonstration and stressed that the people will resist the isolation and dirty policies against Öcalan. Sarıyıldız called on the CPT to urgently fulfil their responsibility.

Academics for Peace member Çetin Gürer mentioned the claims that the speculations about Öcalan are not true, and stressed that it is suspicious that there hasn’t been a public statement despite that.

HEZER: ISOLATION OF ÖCALAN IS ISOLATION OF THE KURDISH PEOPLE

Van MP Tuğba Hezer warned that the state is attempting to benefit from the war and death of peoples with the policies against Öcalan, and called on women in particular to stand against this. Hezer demanded the CPT not be an instrument to AKP’s dirty policies and stressed for the Kurdish people that the inability to lift the isolaiton against Öcalan means the isolation against the people can’t be lifted either.

DICLE: FIGHTING FOR THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF ÖCALAN IS AN HONOR

Imrali Committee Member Hatip Dicle stressed that Öcalan has, despite 19 years of torture, continued to be the strategic leader of the Kurdish people.

Dicle strictly criticized the CPT, the CoE and the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights) silently watching the isolation and pointed to the reaction this has created among Kurds.

Dicle stated that Öcalan is also the leader of the women’s revolution in Rojava and is the guiding light for the issues in the Middle East, and underlined that Öcalan’s theses are being discussed in academic and intellectual circles worldwide now.

Dicle said fighting for Öcalan’s safety and health is “an honor” and called on the CPT to urgently visit Imrali. Dicle added that the struggle will continue until the end.

KARTAL CALLED ON THE CPT TO FULFIL THEIR DUTY

Kongra-Gel Co-chair Remzi Kartal also harshly criticized the dismissal of concerns for Öcalan’s situation. Kartal stressed that the Kurdish people will not give up on the demand for Öcalan’s freedom and called on the CPT to fulfil their duty.

Kartal stated that the demonstrations will continue until Öcalan is heard from and called on the Kurdish people to participate in the demonstrations.

MP Dr. Serga Mehemed Emin spoke in the name of the Goran Movement in the demonstration and said they condemn the system of isolation and torture in place.

Emin pointed to the importance of Öcalan for the Kurds and the peoples of the region and stressed that the peoples of the Middle East and all of Kurdistan need Öcalan. Dr. Serga Mehemed Emin said they demand an immediate lifting of the isolation imposed upon Öcalan for this reason.

Writer Ahmet Nesin pointed to the struggle the peoples have waged together for years and stressed that efforts for peace continue. Nesin underlined that they haven’t given up in the face of the pressure and cruelty for years, and said they “won’t give up now either”.

Partiya Islamiya Kurdistan Leader Hikmet Serbilind stated that all should object to the isolation and torture imposed upon the Kurdish People’s Leader. Serbilind called on the Kurdish people for unity in his speech and called for efforts for Öcalan’s freedom.

Socialist Party of the Oppressed (Ezilenlerin Sosyalist Partisi - ESP) Europe Representative Ziya Ulusoy pointed out that the AKP fascism may have different plans in place. Ulusoy mentioned the attempts of several helicopters to land on Imrali during the July 15 coup and warned that the Erdoğan fascism has plans for annihilation. Ulusoy said the peoples will have policies for resistance against this.

Cizre Co-mayor Leyla Imret pointed to the massacres in Kurdistan in her speech and stated that the AKP fascism has exposed its dirtiest facet. In her speech Imret demanded that the CPT take urgent action and called on the Kurdish people to increase the struggle.

A speech held in the name of the Kurdistan National Congress, stated that the Kurdish people are at the end of their patience. The statement further made a call on responsible institutions in Europe to give their ear to the voice of the Kurdish people and urged the CPT to immediately send a committee to Imrali.

Filiz Kocali from the European Peace Forum against War and Dictatorshipstated that Abdullah Öcalan's freedom would contribute to the freedom of peoples and faith groups. She remarked that "for our common future, the future of our children, peoples and all faiths, ensuring the freedom of Öcalan is our duty".

Tahir Koçer, who spoke in the name of NAV-DEM, pointed out that the Kurdish people have a clear and strong attitude against the isolation. Calling for an immediate end of the isolation, Koçer warned about the AKP's genocidal policies.

Aveg-KON co-chair Şafak Arabaci underlined that the isolation will only fall down through common resistance, saying; “Those, who played a role in the imprisonment of the Kurdish people’s will on Imrali, must now lend an ear to the concerns that Kurdish people express. Arabaci saluted all the people, who are imprisoned in Turkey for political reasons, beginning with Öcalan and the co-chairs of the HDP.

Fikret Imrek, who spoke for the Shengal Êzidî Assembly, pointed out that Öcalan is the leader of many peoples and faith groups, including Alevis, Muslims, Christians, Êzidîs, Syriacs, Chaldeans and Assyrians. He expressed that Öcalan struggles for the freedom and co-existence of all peoples and faith groups and that he has to be free.

Politician Heci Ehmedi from Eastern Kurdistan remarked that Öcalan's freedom is the freedom of the Kurdish people and pointed out that the Kurdish People's "Be Serok Jiyan Nabe" (No Life Without the Leader) slogan is the proof of that. Ehmedi made a call to all Kurds living in Europe to stand up.

“IN 19 YEARS, THE CoE, CPT AND ECHR HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS INSENSITIVE”

Mahmut Şakar, one of the lawyers of the Kurdish People's Leader, recalled that isolation has been forced on Öcalan throughout the 19 years of his captivity. Pointing out that the more recent isolation is even aggravated than it was before, Şakar stated that the Council of Europe, the CPT and the ECHR have never been this insensitive about this topic. 

Recalling that the CPT had published several reports in the past, Şakar criticized that the Committee has still not published the report on its latest visit to Turkey. Şakar called on all related and authorized institutions to take up their responsibilities and that urged the CPT to send a committee to Imrali immediately.