Rally after long marches merged in Strasbourg

Marches from Mannheim, Luxembourg and Basel to Strasbourg were organised to condemn once again the International Conspiracy which, on 15 February 1999, led to the abduction of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

On the 20th anniversary of the International Conspiracy, long march activists from Luxembourg, Basel and Mannheim met with the hunger strikers in Strasbourg. 

While HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven has reached day 100 of fast, hunger strikers in Strasbourg have reached day 61. 

Hundreds of people, including many internationalists, marched from Luxembourg to Strasbourg and met in Place Kléber square in the city center.

Here activists chanted slogans such as ‘Leyla Güven's demand is our demand’, ‘Let's break isolation, free Kurdistan’, ‘Stand up for Rojava’ and opened big banners in support with the hunger strikers and condemning the imprisonment of Öcalan.

Internationalists coming from Luxembourg, HDP members and intellectuals coming from Basel and young people coming from Mannheim made speeches.

‘Isolation, repression and massacre have become part of the daily life’

Drawing attention on the 20-year captivity of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, speakers also underlined that he hasn’t met his lawyers since 2011 and his family since 2016.

Speakers also said that with the end of the talks process, in 2015, Simultaneously with completion of the peace process in 2015 isolation, repression and massacre have become part of the daily life for Kurds. 

Speakers also commended hunger strikers led by Leyla Güven since 8 November, who are demanding the end of isolation. There are over 300 activists on hunger strike, in prisons, Strasbourg, Hewlêr, Wales and many other places.

Call on Europan institutions

The statement by the promoters of the long marches recalled that Strasbourg has been chosen because here are the Council of Europe and the Torture Prevention Center, institutions which should act and urge Turkey to take the path to peace and democracy. 

The statement also called on the European institutions to act before is too late to save Kurdish MP Leyla Güven and the other hunger strikers. 

Aveg-KON member Birsen Ocak, on behalf of the Basel Group, also called for an end to war policies.

Speaking on behalf of the young people blocked by German police while marching from Mannheim to Strasbourg, Ferzed Dino underlined that Öcalan did not give in despite the repression. 

Marchers condemned the attitude of the German police.

Öcalan’s ideas source of hope for the entire world

Spanish revolutionary Silvio Herero, speaking on behalf of the internationalists marching from Luxembourg to Strasbourg, said that they reject the isolation against the Kurdish people’s leader. 

Herero added that the ongoing international conspiracy should come to an end immediately and called for an end to isolation before hunger strikers enter the finale stage. 

The Spanish revolutionary said that Democratic Confederalism was not only a hope for the peoples of the Middle East, but underlined that Öcalan's ideas provided a solution for all peoples of the world.

After the demonstration in front of the Council of Europe and CPT the activists walked to the spot where the Freedom for Öcalan Vigil has been held since 2012.

Dossier delivered to the CPT

After the rally, a delegation of 5 people, including Spanish, Portuguese and Swiss internationalists, delivered a dossier to the CPT.