Hundreds of thousands of people are celebrating Newroz in Istanbul. At the celebration organized by the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) in Yenikapi Square, the determination to resist the dictatorial regime in Turkey is highlighted. Central topics are the still unresolved condition of Abdullah Öcalan, the ban on the HDP and the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention for the Protection of Women against Violence announced last night.

The Newroz bonfire at the festival square was lit by Istanbul HDP leaders Erdal Avcı and Elif Bulut. Students from Boğaziçi University, who unleashed their electronic shackles on their own authority and defied their house arrest to come to the Newroz celebration, were greeted with great applause.

Director and former HDP deputy Sirri Süreyya Önder, who served as the spokesman for the Imrali delegation during the resolution talks with the Turkish state, was welcomed with shouts of "Kurdistan is proud of you!" Önder recalled that similar slogans had been chanted on Newroz 2013 and he was sentenced to prison for it.

A message from former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş from prison in Edirne was also read out on stage, in which he wished the crowd a happy holiday for "resistance and freedom".

Members of the Council of Peace Mothers took the stage in traditional dress and drew attention to the hunger strike of political prisoners that has been ongoing since late November. Other speeches were given by Seher Dursun on behalf of the United Fighting Forces (BMG) and Erkan Baş as chairman of the Workers' Party TIP. Also announced are speeches by HDP spokesman Sedat Şenoğlu, HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan and EMEP Chairman Ercüment Akdeniz.

The music program will feature performances by Ruken Yılmaz, Roni Artin, Erdal Bayrakoğlu and Veysi Ermiş.