In February, the "Long March for the Freedom of Abdullah Öcalan" to the European Council in Strasbourg will take place again. It is organized by the International Öcalan Action Committee. In a press release, the Committee has now published their latest statement:

“The motto of our long march 2021, which will be organized together with the Kurdish youth this year, is: "End isolation, fascism and oppression! - The time for freedom has come!". From the 5th February to the 13th , we will march in this spirit, with the central demand for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. The continuing isolation of Öcalan is a serious violation of human rights and also has a far-reaching political dimension. The founder of the Kurdish freedom movement is regarded as a national leader and political representative of Kurdish society. It is widely known in Kurdistan and Turkey, that a political and above all, peaceful solution is only possible through dialogue with Abdullah Öcalan. Every composition of the Turkish government since 1999, has been aware of this and held talks with Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı accordingly - although none of the governments had admitted this until 2010.

At the same time, Öcalan as an author and politician inspires millions of people, not only in Kurdistan but also around the world. He is one of the most prominent political prisoners of our time. After 22 years now, the urgency of his freedom became the most central on the agenda. The situation in the crisis-ridden Middle East makes his freedom a necessity that can no longer be evaded.

With activists from Spain, Portugal, Germany, Catalonia, Czech Republic among others, we will hold this year's long march in Germany. In order to take care of the health of all participants, we will organize a corresponding program in compliance with Covid 19 hygiene measurements.

The march will start with a kick-off rally on Friday, 5th February at the central train station in Hanau and will end on 13th February in Strasbourg. It will already be possible to arrive on 4th February and participation in the long march can also be limited to individual days. For more information, the preparation committee can be contacted at the registration email ([email protected]).

We call all people, that are in solidarity with the Kurdish struggle to participate in this year's long march for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. Those interested, can contact [email protected] with any questions and also register there. Covid 19 pandemic measures will be observed throughout the whole march. We look forward to your participation in the march!

The supporters of this year’s march are:

Naturfreunde Sachsen-Anhalt e.V., Antifaschistische Aktion Lüneburg/Uelzen, AFK Hannover (autonomes feministisches Kollektiv), Boston Food not Bombs, Grüne Jugend Hamburg, FAU Leipzig, Freundeskreis „Ernst Thälmann“ e. V. Ziegenhals-Berlin, Gruppe KAZ - Fraktion „Ausrichtung Kommunismus“, Linke SDS Berlin, Basta! Basel, Antifaschistische Initiative Heidelberg, ökologisch-radikal-links FFM, Philly ABC (Anarchist Black Cross Philadelphia), Rote Hilfe Berlin, Rote Hilfe Freiburg, KOMintern (Kommunistische Gewerkschaftsinitiative International Wien), URA Dresden (undogmatisch radikale Antifa), Zucker im Tank, solidarische Jugendbewegung Berlin, Enviros against War, OM 10 Göttingen, Ya Basta! - Netzwerk, AGN Ventana Al Sur, Gruppo Diffuso, Revolutionary Communist Group, System Change Not Climate Change, Ende Gelände, Pankahyttn Wien, Femtopie Duisburg, Linksjugend solid, die Falken Rheinland-Pfalz, Partei der Arbeit Genf, LINKE ökologische Plattform, Kreisverbände der LINKEaus: Lörrach, Chemnitz, Neumünster, Nürnberg-Fürth, Bremerhaven, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Wandsbek, Oberhausen, Unna, Bielefeld, folgende Einzelpersonen: Manfred Wolter (LINKE Betzdorf), Klaus Peters (LINKE Nordfriesland), Nicole Gohlke (die Linke im Bundestag), Andreas Klamm (die Linke Rheinland-Pfalz)