On 16 November, a central demonstration for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question will take place in Cologne.

The German section of the solidarity network "Freedom for Öcalan - A political solution to the Kurdish question" is calling for participation together with other groups, parties and organizations. The joint appeal entitled "For a political solution to the Kurdish question - For a just peace: Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan now!" says: "The situation on the prison island of Imrali is a reflection of the political atmosphere in all of Turkey. The Kurdish people's leader, Abdullah Öcalan, has been imprisoned in Imrali for almost 26 years. For the last nine years, he has been in total isolation almost continuously. After 43 months of complete contact ban, his nephew and DEM MP Ömer Öcalan was last able to visit him on 23 October in Imrali. This visit raised cautious hopes in society that the war policy in Kurdistan would soon end.

At the same time as the isolation in Imrali was getting worse, a brutal war began in Kurdistan over the last nine years. In 2015, the Turkish government under the AKP initially unilaterally ended a dialogue process with Abdullah Öcalan, only to then let the weapons do the talking. While within Turkey's borders the way the opposition was treated, especially Kurdish politicians, took on increasingly authoritarian traits, the Erdoğan government in South Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) and Rojava (Northern Syria) pursued a comprehensive war policy that violated international law."

The appeal added: "The latest political developments in Turkey make it clear that the Turkish government has maneuvered itself into a dead end. After nine years of war, isolation, crimes against humanity and immeasurable social suffering, it has once again become clear that this conflict can only be resolved through dialogue and peace negotiations. For the Kurdish population, Abdullah Öcalan is and remains the legitimate contact person for this. He underlined his desire for peace during his nephew's recent visit. In order to be able to fulfill this role, however, he must first be released. Only then will negotiations on a just peace on equal terms be possible.

We are convinced that we have the opportunity right now to increase social pressure for a just peace in Kurdistan. An end to the isolation on Imrali and the release of Abdullah Öcalan will pave the way for such a peace. We therefore call on people to sign this appeal for peace and to take part in the large demonstration on November 16 in Cologne as part of the global campaign "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan - A political solution to the Kurdish question."

The appeal was signed by:

Birati e.V Kurdish Cultural Association Bremen

Cênî – The Kurdish Women’s Office for Peace e.V.

Civaka Azad – Kurdish Center for Public Relations e.V.

Democratic Kurdish Community Center Freiburg e.V.

Democratic Kurdish Community Center in Hanau

Democratic Kurdish Community Welate Roj Mönchengladbach e.V.

Democratic Society of Kurds in Gießen

Democratic Social Center of Kurds in Darmstadt e.V.

Democratic Social Center of Kurds Aurich e.V.

Democratic Social Center of Kurds in Hamburg e.V.

Democratic Social Center of Kurds in Northern Germany e.V. (FED-DEM)

Democratic Kurdish Social Center Duisburg e.V.

Democratic Kurdish Community Center Stuttgart e.V.

The Kurdish Women's Association YJK-E

German-Kurdish Friendship Association Wuppertal e.V.

German-Kurdish Cultural Association Dortmund e.V.

German-Kurdish Cultural House in Bonn e.V.

DGK Democratic Community Center of the Kurds in Essen e.V

The Federation of the Free Society of Mesopotamia in NRW e.V. (FED-MED)

Dresden Association of German-Kurdish Encounters e.V.

Federation of Democratic Societies of Kurdistan (FCDK-KAWA)

Free Kurdish Community - Berlin e.V. (NAV-Berlin)

Free Kurdistan Federation of East Germany (FED-KURD)

Kurdistan Community Center Kassel e.V.

International Mesopotamian Cultural Association Bocholt e.V.

International Mesopotamian Cultural Association Emmerich e.V.

Confederation of the Kurdistan Communities in Germany e.V. (KON-MED)

Kurdish Community Bergstrasse e.V. Bensheim

Kurdish Community Center Schleswig-Holstein e.V.

Kurdish Social Center Aschaffenburg e.V.

Kurdish Social Center Böblingen e.V.

Kurdish Social Center Frankfurt e.V.

Kurdish Social Center Heilbronn e.V.

Kurdish Social Center Osnabrück e.V.

Kurdish Social Center Saarbrücken e.V.

Kurdish People's House Aachen e.V.

Kurdish-German Democratic Social Center Lahr e.V.

Kurdistan Center - Democratic Social Center of the Kurds in Bielefeld e.V.

Mala Kurda e.V Cologne

Medya People's House e. V. Nuremberg

PYD - Party of the Democratic Union German Representation

Center of the Kurdish Society in Siegen

Organizations and individuals who would like to sign this appeal can write to the following email: [email protected].