Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), recently communicated with his family for the first time in 43 months. The meeting, which took place on 23 October, was announced by his nephew, Ömer Öcalan, a Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party MP from Şanlıurfa (Riha), via his personal X (formerly Twitter) account. This family visit marks a significant moment, as Öcalan’s last direct contact with his family was in 2020.
Sayın Abdullah Öcalan ile en son yüz yüze yapılan görüşme 3 Mart 2020 tarihiydi.
Biz aile olarak yıllar sonra 23 Ekim 2024 günü Sayın Öcalan ile görüşme gerçekleştirdik.
Bir yasal hak olan rutin aile görüşünün, koşullar ne olursa olsun devam etmesini istiyoruz.— Ömer ÖCALAN (@omerrocalan) October 24, 2024
The latest family meeting took place against a backdrop of heightened political debate in Turkey. While the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahçeli, recently called on Öcalan to end the PKK’s activities, the DEM Party has criticised the government’s approach to resolving the Kurdish issue. DEM Party Co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları emphasised that Öcalan’s inclusion in the talks is crucial for any real solution and reiterated the call for his isolation to be lifted. The DEM Party, which has been vocal in its support for a democratic solution to the Kurdish question, argued that Öcalan’s inclusion was essential for peace and stability not only in Turkey but in the entire region.
23 Ekim tarihinde İmralı Ada Hapishanesi’de Sayın Öcalan ile görüşme gerçekleştirdim.
Bu ziyaret aile görüşmesi kapsamında gerçekleşti. Sayın Öcalan görüşmede genel siyasi gelişmelere ilişkin değerlendirmelerde bulunarak kamuoyuna şu mesajın iletilmesini istedi: “Tecrit devam…
— Ömer ÖCALAN (@omerrocalan) October 24, 2024
In a second post shared on X, Ömer Öcalan shared a message from Abdullah Öcalan to the public, which is the first official statement from Abdullah Öcalan for almost 44 months.
“The isolation continues. If the conditions are right, I have the theoretical and practical power to move this process from the grounds of conflict and violence to the legal and political grounds,” Abdullah Öcalan stated. This statement signals Öcalan’s willingness to play an active role in resolving the Kurdish question through non-violent means, provided that the Turkish government creates an environment conducive to such discussions.
Ömer Öcalan also stated that Abdullah Öcalan is in good health condition and that he “sent greetings to everyone”.
