The European Forum for Peace and Freedom (EFPF) has launched a global campaign to demand visitation rights to Abdullah Öcalan, the founding leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), who has been held in solitary confinement in İmralı Island Prison since 1999. The Forum’s initiative, titled “Visit Öcalan”, calls on individuals and institutions worldwide to submit formal requests to the Turkish Ministry of Justice, urging it to grant access to Öcalan and end his decades-long isolation.
The campaign follows a series of unprecedented political developments triggered by Öcalan’s “Call for Peace and Democratic Society” on 27 February. In the statement, Öcalan urged a transition from armed struggle to democratic engagement, framing his call as an appeal not only for peace in Turkey, but for a broader regional and global transformation grounded in justice, freedom and coexistence.
In response to his call, the PKK announced on 9 May the dissolution of its organisational structure and a unilateral end to its armed campaign. The group declared that it would now operate through peaceful, democratic means, effectively bringing an end to a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since the 1980s.
“These developments represent a historic opportunity for a peaceful and democratic resolution to the Kurdish question,” the EFPF said in a written statement. “Mr Öcalan has once again demonstrated his capacity to silence weapons and lead a political process. Now, the international community must act to ensure this opportunity is not wasted.”
The Forum is demanding not only access to Öcalan but also the full recognition of his legal right to hope. According to international human rights standards, including rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), prisoners who have served over 25 years should be granted a realistic chance of release. Öcalan, now in his 26th year of incarceration, has been denied all visits since 2019, including from lawyers and family members.
“Öcalan’s isolation violates both Turkish and international law,” said the campaign organisers. “He has fulfilled the moral and political conditions for conditional release, and his continued imprisonment undermines efforts to build lasting peace.”
Supporters are encouraged to send letters and emails to the Turkish Ministry of Justice, tagging the official account of Minister Yılmaz Tunç (@yilmaztunc) and using the hashtag #VisitOcalan. The EFPF asks those participating to copy their correspondence to [email protected] to track the campaign’s global reach.
This campaign follows renewed efforts for peace, with indirect talks reportedly resuming between Öcalan’s legal team and Turkish officials since late 2024. Advocates believe that granting public and legal access to Öcalan is essential for the progression of these negotiations.
The EFPF’s campaign has gained support from peace organisations, rights defenders, and Kurdish diaspora networks across Europe, who argue that meaningful dialogue and reconciliation can only begin by ending Öcalan’s isolation and recognising his role in shaping a post-conflict future.
