The traditional march to Strasbourg to mark the anniversary of the deportation of Abdullah Öcalan to Turkey is taking place this year only regionally in different countries due to the Corona pandemic. In Switzerland, the long march in the framework of the campaign "End isolation, fascism, occupation - time for freedom" started in Lucerne on February 6 and has continued today in Basel.

Despite snowfall and a temperature of minus ten degrees, Kurds and their friends gathered at Barfüsserplatz with pictures of Öcalan and flags of PKK, MLKP and SYKP. At the beginning of the action, a minute of silence was observed for the martyrs of the Kurdish liberation struggle.

Kurdish politician Serhat Agirî said in a speech that the international plot against Abdullah Öcalan continues until today. He said that resistance on Imrali, in the mountains and in prisons has prevented the plot from achieving its goal to a great extent. "The fact that the plot still continues at the international level is mainly due to the development of the Kurdish struggle and the achievements in Rojava. Against the attacks aimed at stifling and crushing our struggle, we will continue to loudly demand freedom for our leader everywhere. Öcalan's freedom is our freedom, the freedom of the Kurdish people."

Afterwards, a demonstration took place through the city to Dreirosenpark, during which slogans were shouted and leaflets distributed. Tomorrow's stop of the long march is Solothurn.