The Canary Investigations UK editor Emily Apple, in an interview with Erem Kansoy, said: ”Mr. Öcalan is at the centre of a possible peace process. He also has a philosophical outlook that will influence the next century with its ideas. We see the practical consequences of his thoughts in Rojava”.
She also spoke about the Turkish state’s aggressive policies against oppositional voices and the situation for journalists in Turkey who continue to be detained, imprisoned and face death threats.
Apple emphasized the need for international pressure to be exerted to end the isolation of imprisoned Kurdish leader, Abdullah Öcalan: “If Europe wants to protect its values, it must do two things. Firstly, the PKK should be removed from the terrorist list and secondly, Öcalan must be released due to the central role he plays in any peace process in Turkey and the Middle East”.
“Öcalan’s freedom is necessary for all”, she noted.
She commented on the situation facing journalists in Turkey: ”Unfortunately, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) does not give journalists a chance to live and work except for those who serve it. I realize that almost all journalists are under considerable pressure in Turkey. It is a shame that Western countries have turned a blind eye to the violations that are taking place”.
Emily is a journalist and activist. She is a founding member of numerous organisations including the Network for Police Monitoring and Counselling for Social Change. She is also the co-founder of Fitwatch, which was established as a street-level response to intimidation and harassment from the police ‘forward intelligence teams’ (‘FIT-teams’).
