The campaign, entitled ‘Freedom for Öcalan, A Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’ has united political leaders, activists, trade unions and intellectuals since 20 October 2023. The movement calls for Öcalan to be granted visitation rights and eventually released, seeing his freedom and participation in a future peace process as crucial to resolving the century-old Kurdish question in Turkey.
Öcalan, a founding member and leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has been imprisoned since 1999 following his capture in a multinational intelligence operation. Held on the island of İmralı, Öcalan has endured long periods of isolation, with no contact with his family or lawyers for over three years, according to the campaign’s supporters. Despite his imprisonment, Öcalan’s political philosophies, including his advocacy for democracy and women’s rights, continue to inspire movements across the Middle East and around the world.
The campaign has attracted considerable international attention. This year, 69 Nobel laureates wrote to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, urging him to open a new dialogue with Öcalan and end his isolation. In addition, thousands of lawyers from over 30 countries co-signed a letter to the Turkish Ministry of Justice demanding access to Öcalan and condemning his prison conditions as a violation of international human rights standards.
The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has visited İmralı Prison nine times since 1999, and has repeatedly criticised the conditions in which Öcalan is being held. However, the Turkish government has reportedly ignored these recommendations, and no CPT reports have been published since the last visit in September 2022. The Turkish state has come under fire for failing to comply with the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), leading to growing global pressure.
The campaign’s organisers are calling for immediate action, including intervention by international human rights bodies and greater global awareness of Öcalan’s situation. They argue that Öcalan’s proposals offer a path to peace and stability in Turkey and the wider region.
The Turkish government has yet to respond to the latest wave of calls for Öcalan’s freedom.
Read the new dossier by the campaign here.
