In response to calls from Kurdish organisations, extensive preparations have been made for what is expected to be one of the largest Kurdish mobilisations to date. Scheduled for 16 November in Cologne, Germany, the mass demonstration will advocate for the release of Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and to advance a political framework for a sustainable resolution to the Kurdish question.
With backing from the KCDK-E umbrella organisation for Kurdish communities in Europe, as well as other Kurdish organisations, the march is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of participants in a powerful show of unity, resilience, and commitment to achieving lasting peace and justice for the Kurdish people.
In Duisburg, Germany, prominent Kurdish representatives, including Zübeyde Zümrüt, co-chair of the Kurdish Community Center (CON-MED-E), Karam Gök, co-chair of the FED-DEM umbrella organisation of the Kurds living in northern Germany, Ahmed Konab as well as Yilmaz Roni, joined community members and representatives to underscore the vital significance of widespread participation in the demonstration. At this meeting, the representatives of the Kurdish community in Europe highlighted the essential role of collective action in advocating for Öcalan’s freedom and a just solution to the Kurdish question.
Zümrüt expressed a sense of urgency in ending Öcalan’s 26-year imprisonment and the intensified isolation imposed on him in recent years. Given these conditions, the Kurdish representatives stressed that it is incumbent upon all Kurdish people and allies of Kurdish rights to rally in solidarity for this momentous event.
Across Switzerland, Kurdish communities have also mobilised, having planned for over two months to secure significant participation from Kurds and allies. In a joint statement, the Kurdish Democratic Society (JDK-S) and the Kurdish Women’s Union (YJK-S) in Switzerland emphasised their support for the mobilisation, calling for a powerful display of unity.
Prominent activist Nuraldin Turgut remarked on the broader implications of Öcalan’s imprisonment, citing the increasing pressure on all Kurdish regions, the recent Turkish escalations in northeastern Syria, and continued conflict as byproducts of the systemic isolation imposed on Öcalan. Turgut emphasised that Kurdish voices, united under the banner of freedom for Öcalan, will echo across Cologne as a call for change.
Necdet Atalay, spokesperson for the Freedom Committee for Öcalan in Switzerland, underscored the irreplaceable role Öcalan plays in the peace process, stating that his involvement is essential for any genuine resolution to the Kurdish issue. Atalay stressed that this march is not only about securing Öcalan’s release but also about affirming the unique capacity he holds to foster peace.
A previous march was organised in Cologne on 10 October 2023, drawing the support of prominent politicians, intellectuals, writers, academics, and artists from around the world.
