A major demonstration demanding freedom for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question has drawn thousands to Cologne, Germany on Saturday, supported by 69 Nobel laureates worldwide.
The protest, organised by the Confederation of Kurdistan Communities in Germany (KON-MED), began at Deutzer Werft, with participants travelling from across Germany and neighbouring countries. Event organisers arranged 140 buses from within Germany alone, with additional transport from France, Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland.
“The isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, imprisoned on Imrali island for nearly 26 years, symbolises the political and social oppression in Turkey. Ending his isolation and securing his release are crucial for initiating a just peace process,” KON-MED said in their joint appeal.
The German Solidarity Network supporting Öcalan’s release highlighted recent developments: “The recent visit by DEM Party MP Ömer Öcalan to his uncle on Imrali, along with signals from the Turkish government and nationalist parties, raises hopes for ending isolation and violence policies.”
“However, the suppression of human rights and democratic opposition continues in Turkey, while the conflict in Kurdistan, particularly in Northern Iraq and Northern Syria, causes immeasurable suffering,” the network added.
The demonstration marks a significant milestone in the international campaign ‘Freedom for Öcalan – A Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’, which has gained support from dozens of Nobel laureates and various civil society organisations across Europe.
