The sit-in, initiated for the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, continues into its 49th month in front of the UN Office in Geneva.

The action held this week condemned the occupation attacks carried out by the Turkish state and its proxies in Northern and Eastern Syria, as well as the massacres targeting civilians defending the Tishrin Dam.

Photos of Kurdish activists sentenced to death by the Iranian regime and of the civilians killed at the Tishrin Dam were displayed during the action.

Nejdet Atalay, a member of the co-presidency Council of the Congress of Democratic Societies of Kurdistan in Europe (KCDK-E), paid tribute to the memory of theater artist Bave Teyar and the martyrs of the Tishrin Dam.

Atalay stated that the Kurdish people’s decades-long efforts and struggles to live on their own land and speak their own language are being obstructed by occupation and massacre attacks.

Atalay recalled the remarkable resistance of civilians at the Tishrin Dam, stating: "Unable to break this resistance, the occupying gangs are dropping bombs on civilians every day."

Atalay continued: "The resistance of the Kurdish people, in the face of the Middle East redesign project led by Western forces headed by the U.S. and Israel, has paved the way for discussions with Abdullah Öcalan."

Atalay stated that achieving peace without the Kurds is evidently impossible, and added: "Lasting peace is only possible through the implementation of the solutions proposed by Abdullah Öcalan within the framework of a permanent and honorable peace. This is only possible by ensuring the freedom of Öcalan."

Following Atalay’s speech, the press statement prepared by the Geneva Action Committee was read. 

A call was made for participation in a central action, which will be held under the leadership of the Swiss Kurdish Women’s Union (YJK-S) in Zurich at Rathausbrücke Square on Saturday 25 January.