DEM Party İmralı Delegation member Pervin Buldan paid a visit to Selahattin Demirtaş and Selçuk Mızraklı in Edirne Prison.

In a written statement about the visit, the DEM Party said the following:

“DEM Party İmralı Delegation Member Pervin Buldan visited HDP former Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş and former mayor of Diyarbakır, Selçuk Mızraklı, in Edirne Prison.

Buldan informed Demirtaş and Mızraklı about the latest stage in the search for a solution and once again received their opinions and suggestions.

Demirtaş and Mızraklı stated that they would continue to support the process with all their strength and conveyed their greetings and love to our people.”

Background

On 28 December 2024, members of the DEM Party Imrali delegation, Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder, visited Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Island Prison in the Sea of Marmara. During the visit, the Kurdish leader conveyed messages aimed at finding a solution.

Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan held a second meeting with Abdullah Öcalan on 22 January 2025. Following the meeting, which lasted four hours, the delegation briefed the DEM Party leadership. 

In a statement about the meeting on 23 January, the delegation said: “Mr. Öcalan's work on the process continues. Necessary explanations will be made to the public after his preparations on this subject are completed. As a delegation, we will carry on our work and talks, and we will inform the public as developments take place. This process will help everyone, all of us, live together and freely. We look forward to the valuable contributions of all social segments in the hope that this will be made possible.”

Since 28 December, the delegation has met with the heads of political parties represented in the Parliament, imprisoned politicians in prison, DEM Party components and various circles.

The delegation’s visits and meetings began on 3 January with the Speaker of the Parliament, Numan Kurtulmuş, and continued with meetings with the leaders and representatives of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Future Party, Justice and Development Party (AKP), Felicity Party (SP), Republican People's Party (CHP), Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), and the Re-Welfare Party (Yeniden Refah Partisi).

On 11-12 January, the delegation also met with HDP former co-chairs and politicians currently in prison, including Figen Yüksekdağ, Selahattin Demirtaş, Leyla Güven, and Selçuk Mızraklı.

In a statement on 17 January, the DEM Party İmralı Delegation said: “The main focus of our meeting agendas was to convey the results of our discussion with Mr. Öcalan and evaluate the new developments together. These discussions centered around finding a lasting solution to the Kurdish question and the resulting conflict, the historical responsibility to strengthen the Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood, the obligations arising from the deep and irreversible developments in the Middle East, and the recognition of the Parliament and democratic politics as the most important platforms for resolving these issues.”

The statement pointed out that: “Our impression from these meetings is that there is a shared desire and will among all political parties to move beyond the conflict and tension caused by the Kurdish question. There is a shared understanding that fostering the unity and brotherhood of all ethnic, religious, and sect groups in our country would benefit everyone. A parallel feeling is that the peace process should also contribute to general democratization and the expansion of the democratic political space.”

On the other hand, the DEM Party informed the public about these activities through public meetings and rallies in 42 centers and conveyed the opinions, suggestions, concerns and expectations of the people to the İmralı Delegation in the form of reports.

The İmralı Delegation is also expected to hold talks in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq this weekend. The delegation will include Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder, members of the İmralı Delegation, DBP Co-Chair Keskin Bayındır, members of our Foreign Relations Commission and party officials.

On Sunday, February 16, the delegation will meet with Massoud Barzani and Nechirvan Barzani in Hewlêr (Erbil). On Monday, February 17, the delegation will go to Sulaymaniyah and meet with the PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) Leader Bafil Talabani, Qubat Talabani and PUK officials. During the visits, the details of the talks in İmralı will be shared and the opinions, suggestions and thoughts of those concerned regarding the process will be received and then conveyed to Öcalan.