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As activists around the world continue to rally support for the freedom of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, the Alliance Creative Community Project (ACCP) from Ghana has announced its participation in the campaign.
Founded in Ghana in 2008, the ACCP has been a member of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2013. Carrying out projects in West African countries such as Togo, the ACCP has participated in the campaign “It is time: Freedom for Öcalan and a just peace in Turkey” which recently launched in South Africa.
ACCP chair John Nana Yaw Okyere sent a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on behalf of the organisation. “Mr Öcalan, considered by millions of Kurds as the legitimate leader of the Kurdish people and as leader of the resistance against the Turkish state’s oppression, played a central role during efforts for a peaceful solution between 2013 and 2015”, said the letter. “There is no doubt that he strives for an honourable and effective peace”.
The letter outlined Öcalan’s vitally important role in the future of the Kurds and added, “We ask for a review and investigation of the prison conditions of Mr Öcalan, to be conducted by the UN’s Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment”.
The UN Secretary General was asked to take steps to release Öcalan. “We call on the UN General Assembly to ease peace talks at this critical point and we call on Turkey to respect its responsibilities related to international law”.
On 11 January the Kurdish Working Group for Human Rights in South Africa (KHRAG) and the South Africa Confederation of Unions (COSATU) announced via a joint statement the launch of the “It is time: Freedom for Öcalan and a just peace in Turkey” campaign.
