Imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan has issued a condolence message mourning the death of Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a veteran lawmaker, cultural figure and key peace negotiator, who passed away in Istanbul earlier today at the age of 62.
In a written message sent from İmralı Island Prison, where he has been held since 1999, Öcalan paid tribute to Önder’s life and legacy, describing him as “a true son of the peoples” and “a real identity of peace.”
In memory of dear Sırrı Süreyya Önder,
A deep sorrow has settled in our hearts with the passing of dear Sırrı Süreyya Önder. He was a truly valuable person, a genuine child of the peoples. Anatolia and the Turkmen tradition have lost a great son; all the communities and peoples of our region have lost a great comrade. I hold his memory in the highest regard.
At our last meeting on 27 February, he personally noted down the final sentence we added to our planned call and insisted on reading it himself. He had an unforgettable commitment and work ethic in the name of living together in peace. He possessed a remarkable talent for turning every negative into a positive. He was a true embodiment of peace and the culture of peace.
He deeply understood what peace and the peace process could bring to all of us, and this was his greatest longing. That hope must never be left unfinished. What matters to all of us is to carry this spirit into peace and to crown it in Sırrı Süreyya Önder’s name.
Once again, I express my eternal respect for his memory and offer my condolences to his dear family, friends, loved ones, and all our peoples.
May we all find strength in our shared loss.
Abdullah Öcalan
3 May 2025
Önder, a member of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party and Deputy Speaker of Turkey’s parliament, died on 3 May in İstanbul following complications from emergency heart surgery. He had been in intensive care for 18 days.
Öcalan recalled his final meeting with Önder during a rare prison visit on 27 February, noting that the late MP had personally written down and read aloud the final sentence of a planned joint peace appeal. He praised Önder’s ability to transform adversity into strength and described him as a tireless advocate for coexistence.
From 2013 to 2015, Önder played a central role in the so-called “İmralı Delegation,” a team tasked with conveying messages between Öcalan and Turkish officials during a now-defunct peace process aimed at ending the decades-long conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) — a war that has claimed over 40,000 lives, most of them Kurdish civilians.
A former political prisoner, filmmaker and respected parliamentarian, Önder had long stood out for his ability to speak across Turkey’s polarised political spectrum. His 2006 satirical film Beynelmilel won multiple international awards, and his speeches in parliament were known for their rhetorical flair and biting wit.
He suffered a catastrophic aortic rupture on 15 April and was revived twice before undergoing nearly 12 hours of surgery. His death was confirmed by Florence Nightingale Hospital on 3 May.
Following his death, messages of condolence were issued from across Turkey’s political landscape, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and opposition leaders. His passing was widely seen as the loss of a rare political figure who embodied both intellectual and revolutionary traditions in Turkish and Kurdish politics.
