Vigil for Freedom for Öcalan continues in its 154th week

The Freedom for Öcalan Vigil in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg continues in its 154th week.

The Freedom for Öcalan Vigil in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg continues in its 154th week.

This week’s vigil has been taken over by a group of 4 persons from London. The group members called on Kurdish people to continue their struggle for freedom for Öcalan and to vote for the HDP in the general elections to be held this Sunday, on 7 June in Turkey and North Kurdistan.

The vigil held in front of the European Parliament for freedom for the Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan is today in its 1074th day. The vigil is held each day at between 07:30-17:00, during which activists hold personal talks with the people passing by as well as distributing leaflets and brochures informing on the life and the struggle of the Kurdish Leader and the Kurdish Liberation Movement.

This week’s vigil is being held by 4 Kurdish people coming from London, Sezgin Coşkun ile Doğan Aslan, Ali Doğan and Alişan Bulut.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Sezgin Coşkun told ANF that they have been holding the vigil since Sunday with a high spirit, distributing leaflets and brochures telling the aim of the vigil, and added that they have also held personal talks with many people and had the opportunity to inform people about the Kurdish leader and the Kurdish Liberation Struggle. Coşkun said they also inform people about the Kobanê resistance as it is the mostly asked issue by the people.

The spokesperson of the group stressed the importance of the freedom of the Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan for the Kurdish people as well as other communities of the Middle East, adding that Öcalan must be free in order for the liberation of the peoples of the Middle East.

Another vigil activist, Doğan Aslan, drew attention to the important role that Öcalan continues to play for the liberation of the Kurdish people despite his isolation in a prison for 16 years, adding that the Kurdish leader still sheds light on people’s struggle and that he is proud of being on action for that kind of a leading figure and his freedom.

 Ali Doğan, a member of KCC (Kurdish Communities Center in London), who takes part in the vigil for the second time, told that he was on hunger strike for 6 months in 2012 in protest at Öcalan’s isolation. Doğan drew attention to the role played by the imperialist powers in the plot against Öcalan that ended up with his capture in 1999 and added that these powers must now play a positive role for the implementation of the rule of law and thus for the removal of the PKK from the list of terrorist organisations.

Alişan Bulut, who is active in London People’s Assembly, said the Kurdish people are that much loyal to the Kurdish Leader that they can sacrifice their own freedom for the sake of his freedom, adding that they will not be free unless Öcalan is free.

The London group further called on all people of Kurdistan to vote for the HDP in the general elections to be held this Sunday in Turkey and North Kurdistan to ensure that it exceeds the unjust 10 % electoral threshold.

The vigil for freedom for Öcalan has been ceaselessly held in front of the EP since 25 June 2015. The vigil has so far been participated by over 800 persons coming across Europe.