In protest against the absolute isolation of the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and as part of the global campaign ‘Freedom of Abdullah Öcalan: A Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’, Adem Uzun, a Kurdish politician and member of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK), addressed Kurdish television channel Sterk TV.
Celebrating Öcalan’s philosophy and emphasising his pivotal role in resolving the Kurdish issue and mitigating tensions in the Middle East, Ozun explained how the campaign “encapsulates the challenges confronting Kurdistan and the broader Middle East”. Highlighting the escalating tensions in the region, Uzun also noted that political groups are, on one hand, striving to preserve their achievements while, on the other hand, seeking to gain new advantages at the expense of others.
Underscoring the Turkish state’s efforts to undermine Kurdish accomplishments and silence their leader, the politician said:
“As new power dynamics emerge in the Middle East, there is a concerted effort to either eradicate Kurdish identity or obstruct the Kurds from attaining recognition. Consequently, all efforts are directed toward weakening the Kurdish position, leaving them devoid of status, freedom, homeland, or democracy in this century.”
Uzun linked these demands and the Kurds’ robust position to the release of their imprisoned leader, asserting:
“The Kurds possess organisation and cohesion; however, their strategic vision and projects are intrinsically tied to the leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party [PKK]. The Turkish state, recognising this sensitivity, is making concerted efforts to silence Mr. Öcalan, even disregarding both Turkish and international legal principles.”
Emphasising Öcalan’s crucial role in achieving peace, Uzun continued:
“To enable Mr. Öcalan to fulfil his role during this critical juncture in the Middle East—aiming for peace, democracy, and stability for all peoples, including women and youth—the campaign has been initiated. Therefore, we should regard this campaign not merely as a political and strategic endeavour but also as a ‘survival’ campaign.”
Uzun further stressed the urgency of the freedom campaign in resolving the Kurdish issue: “If the Kurdish issue is resolved, tensions in the Middle East will also diminish.”
Concluding his conversation, Uzun referred to the campaign launch on 10 October 2023. He noted that it has garnered enthusiastic participation from numerous advocates seeking to resolve tensions in the Middle East—including organisations, unions, intellectuals, and socially responsible individuals—across more than 74 regions worldwide.
Contrary to initial expectations, an increasing number of individuals and prominent figures have joined this campaign. Consequently, it was decided to establish global networks aimed at securing Mr. Öcalan’s freedom; this culminated in a conference held in the European Parliament with participation from the founders of this campaign.
The ‘Freedom for Öcalan’ campaign unites political leaders, activists, and millions of supporters in advocating for the Kurdish leader’s visitation rights and eventual release. His liberation is considered crucial for achieving a just political resolution to Turkey’s century-old Kurdish question and revitalising peace dialogues.
The campaign seeks to illuminate the dire conditions on the high-security Turkish prison island of İmralı where Öcalan has been held since 1999, the last three and a half years of which has been in total incommunicado detention, and calls upon the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CPT) to facilitate regular visits.
