On 11 February, reports from Hawar News Agency confirmed that a mass demonstration was organised by Kongra Star in Cizre Canton. Kurdish, Arab, Armenian, and Syriac women gathered in large numbers to call for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurdish leader imprisoned since 1999 on İmralı Island. The march reaffirmed their demand for his release and continued solidarity across ethnic and religious communities.
The demonstration culminated at Haysem Kiçu Stadium, where Kongra Star Spokesperson Reyhan Loko addressed the crowd. She condemned the international conspiracy that led to Öcalan’s imprisonment, stating:
“The conspirators sought to sever the bond between the Kurdish people and Öcalan. Yet today, seeing millions of Kurds, Turks, Arabs, Syriacs, and Assyrians standing in solidarity with him is both a source of pride and a testament to the unyielding spirit of resistance.”
In her speech, Loko also criticised the stalled peace talks between the Kurds and the Turkish state, saying:
“As long as Turkey continues its attacks on the Tishreen Dam, as long as its assault on Kurdish municipalities in Northern Kurdistan persists, and as long as it wages war on Kurdistan, how can there be any talk of a peace process between the Kurds and the Turkish state?”
Esther Murad, a representative of Syriac women in Jazira Canton, also spoke at the rally, denouncing the ongoing isolation and torture of Öcalan. She said:
“The arrest of Öcalan was an attempt to silence the voice of freedom and democracy. Yet after all these years, Turkey has failed to suppress the calls for liberation.”
Anahid Kasabian, from the Armenian Women’s Union in North and East Syria, drew a parallel between the plight of Kurds and the Armenian Genocide of 1915, saying:
“Armenian women in North and East Syria, remembering the genocide of 1915, recognise the parallels between the suffering endured by Armenians then and the oppression Kurds face today. That is why we have joined the struggle to end the torture and isolation imposed on Öcalan. His freedom is inseparable from the liberation of the people of Rojava.”
A parallel demonstration also took place in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiye neighbourhoods, where Kurdish women rallied under the slogan “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” to demand Öcalan’s release from İmralı Island prison.
Demonstrators, who also condemned the international conspiracy of 15 February 1999, which led to Öcalan’s abduction and extradition to Turkey, reaffirmed their commitment to his freedom and a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue.
Each year, on the anniversary of Öcalan’s arrest, not only Kurds but also Armenians, Assyrians, and many other communities join the call for his release. Numerous campaigns have been launched over the years, with Nobel laureates among those voicing support for his freedom.
