Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Campaign Committee has announced global events from 15 to 22 June to protest the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, who has been in solitary confinement in Turkey for over 25 years. The events aim to spread his ideas on democracy, feminism, and ecology.
Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurdish leader, has not had contact with his lawyers since August 2019, and all communication has been prevented since March 2021, raising serious concerns about his well-being. Established institutions like the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and the European Court of Human Rights have not intervened against this isolation, considered torture by human rights defenders worldwide.
Öcalan’s writings have inspired a diverse group of intellectuals, activists and social movements. His ideas have contributed to the formation of an autonomous, self-governing social system in North and East Syria, which emphasises women’s liberation, ecology and radical democracy. His philosophy, encapsulated in the slogan ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ (Women, Life, Freedom), continues to guide the women’s liberation struggle in the 21st century.
The campaign committee urged individuals and groups to organise events promoting dialogue on Öcalan’s ideas. “Öcalan’s calls for democratic forms of social organisation deserve careful attention from anyone interested in constructive social thought or rebuilding society along feminist and ecological lines,” the committee stated.
The upcoming events seek to challenge the unlawful practice of Öcalan’s isolation and highlight his significant contributions to the Kurdish freedom movement and broader democratic and ecological thought. The committee extended the call to intellectuals, activists, artists and politicians to participate in these global days of action.
