Kongra-Gel Co-President Remzi Kartal spoke at the rally in Strasbourg, France in protest at the 15 February 1999's international conspiracy against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan on its 18th anniversary.

Kartal called attention to the Turkish state's increasingly ongoing attacks against the Kurdish people during the recent years, remarking that these attacks were carried out in order to overcome the collapse suffered by the Turkish state and AKP fascism. He said the AKP government increased its attacks in order to obstruct the advance of the Kurdish movement in Kurdistan and the Middle East.

Kartal pointed out that the dirty alliances made by the Turkish state in the Middle East and the world so far have all collapsed, saying: "They can no more make the world an ally against us."

Stressing that the AKP government and Erdoğan resorted to making a referendum in order to seize all the power with the intention of overcoming the collapse they are experiencing, Kartal put emphasis on the importance of this referendum for the Kurdish Freedom Movement, saying: "As the Freedom Movement, we are ready. With the spring ahead of us, we have preparations and we will overthrow the government founded by Erdoğan and Devlet Bahçeli (leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, MHP) and end the Erdoğan fascism this spring."

Remzi Kartal said the referendum was an opportunity for the peoples, noting that the frustration of the referendum will inflict a heavy blow against the AKP government. Kartal called on the peoples of Kurdistan and Turkey to work to this end, noting that they aimed to liberate Öcalan in the year of 2017.

Kartal's speech was followed by a cinevision display featuring speeches and footage of Öcalan and guerrillas.

Kurdish band Koma Berxwedan took to the stage lastly and sang songs and marches composed for the freedom struggle and Öcalan.