Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan issued a ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’, conveyed by the İmralı Delegation of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) in Istanbul on 27 February. Öcalan highlighted the urgent need to pave the way to democratization and called on the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) to lay down arms. In a statement earlier today, the Executive Committee of the PKK declared a ceasefire, announcing that they will comply with Öcalan’s call.

As both Öcalan’s call and the PKK’s ceasefire have been met with great interest in Turkey, Kurdistan, the Middle East and all around the world, friends of the Kurdish people are also excited about the possibility of a new era with this historic message. Europe's left, democratic forces and rights-law organizations are also following the developments very closely. Support is pouring in from all over the world for the historic initiative developed by Kurdish People's Leader Öcalan.

Gianni Tognoni, President of the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal of Italy, and Marion Böker, UN Representative for Women's Rights in Germany and the 16th President of the International Alliance of Women, pointed out that Öcalan has come up with a very big step towards a solution to the Kurdish question and democratization. Answering questions from Medya Haber's Erem Kansoy, Tognoni and Böker underlined that the deepening of the process in such a critical situation depends on the physical liberation of Öcalan.

Marion Böker said that Öcalan’s message has had a great impact: “This means that Kurds will no longer be punished for their political activities and their desire for self-governance, whether they take office as mayors or enter parliament, and that their political activities will no longer be seen as ‘terrorism’. This will completely disappear and come to an end. So, the Turkish state will be able to cooperate with Turkish interests and Kurdish interests and demands more easily. I think this will not only be a path to peace within Turkey, but will also force the Turkish government to stop killing Kurds in North and East Syria.

Öcalan needs to be released from prison and, as the leader of the Kurdish people, he should have free space to talk to his people and their representatives. I hope that he will be released, since many organizations, including the Council of Europe, have demanded this. The conditions of his imprisonment have been so long and so bad that the Turkish government should finally release him. The Turkish state should stop all kinds of bad discrimination against Kurds in Turkey. It should also do so for the Kurds living in neighboring countries, in Iraq, North-East Syria, Iran and other parts of the world. And Turkey's return to peace and human rights will increase its chances of joining the EU.”

Gianni Tognoni emphasized that whether or not the Turkish state will respond to Öcalan’s historic call is an important point: “The call is very clear, but it also demands symmetry. So the proposal is very important, but it depends on whether the other side is ready to provide the democratic conditions that allow for a real dialogue. Of course, this resolution cannot work as long as Öcalan remains in his current detention.

Öcalan's release, and recognizing the important position he now represents, is important not only for Turkey or Rojava, but also for the entire Middle East region and for the role of the rule of law in conflicts. Instead of accepting conflict as the rule, Öcalan has offered peace as a framework and perspective. This must now be responded to by the state.”