French chemist and Nobel Laureate Jean-Pierre Sauvage has called for the immediate release of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, who remains isolated on İmralı Island in clear violation of international law.
As part of the broader ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, Political Solution to the Kurdish Problem’ campaign, 69 Nobel laureates issued a letter on 26 July to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and key EU institutions, demanding Öcalan’s release, condemning the inhumane conditions of his imprisonment, and advocating for a renewed, robust peace process.
The laureates emphasised the urgent need for a political solution to the Kurdish issue and underscored Öcalan’s crucial role in any future peace talks between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Continuing these efforts, Jean-Pierre Sauvage, in an interview with ANF, reiterated the key points of the letter, stating, “Mr Abdullah Öcalan has been subjected to the harshest punishment. It is time for him to be freed.”
He further highlighted Öcalan’s potential to play a pivotal role in resolving the Kurdish issue, noting, “The release of Mr Öcalan would greatly benefit relations between the Kurdish community and the Turkish government.”
Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has been held in solitary confinement on İmralı Island since 1999. His arrest, conducted by the Turkish government, involved cooperation from American, Israeli, and Greek intelligence agencies.
