Prominent human rights defender and honorary chair of Turkey’s independent Human Rights Association (İHD) Akın Birdal has called for the end of the prolonged isolation imposed on Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, describing it as a major barrier to peace and democracy in Turkey. Speaking at a panel in Cizre (Cizîr), Şırnak (Şirnex) in the southeast of the country on Saturday, Birdal stated, “The door of isolation must be opened to peace and democracy. Abdullah Öcalan must be allowed to speak.”
The panel, themed “War Kills, Peace Saves Lives”, marked the 76th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and was held at Cizre Municipality Conference Hall. Organised by the İHD’s Şırnak branch, it was attended by representatives of the Şırnak Bar Association, the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party and the Peace Mothers.
In his speech, Birdal highlighted the international human rights violations posed by the isolation imposed on Öcalan in İmralı Prison, where he has been denied any access to his lawyers and family since March 2021. “Prisoners have the right to communicate with their families and lawyers; this is a fundamental human right. Öcalan’s isolation is not just a violation of his rights but also a symptom of the broader insistence on unresolved issues in the Kurdish question,” Birdal said.
He stressed Öcalan’s potential role in conflict resolution, citing recent comments of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, which acknowledged the importance of dialogue. Birdal urged the authorities to initiate formal talks with Öcalan, arguing that “This peace process must not go to naught like that of 2013–2015.” He also called for the repeal of restrictive laws, the immediate release of political prisoners and the establishment of a peace conference to build collective will for dialogue.
Journalist Abdurrahman Gök also spoke, highlighting the dangers faced by reporters exposing human rights violations in Turkey. Gök described decades of repression, including assassinations of journalists and the bombing of newspaper offices, particularly by shadowy organisations like JİTEM, a clandestine unit accused of extrajudicial killings and other abuses during the 1990s. Gök affirmed that the struggle for truth and justice continues in spite of such risks, saying, “Human rights advocates have not given up, nor have the journalists who amplify their voices.”
The journalist also drew attention to the shared struggles of Kurds across the four regions of Kurdistan – in Turkey (Bakur), Iraq (Başur), Syria (Rojava) and Iran (Rojhilat). He recounted the story of a young Kurdish man driven to suicide after facing systemic injustice and statelessness. “Kurdish people face the same injustices everywhere. This is a fight for human dignity, no matter what the cost,” he said.
The event concluded with a question-and-answer session which highlighted the urgent need for inclusive dialogue and a unified call for peace in Turkey.
