Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams has called for the release of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, stressing that his continued imprisonment prevents meaningful peace negotiations in Turkey. Speaking to Erem Kansoy from the MedyaNews on Sunday, Williams said, “The first thing is that Öcalan should be able to leave that prison where he’s been forever and a day. That he should be somewhere safe and secure.”
Williams, an American human rights activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her campaign against landmines, described Öcalan’s efforts to promote peace as “inspiring” and urged Turkey to engage in genuine dialogue with Kurdish leaders. “This call and the hopeful discussions about forging ahead with peace and security and common respect… it would be a viable nomination for a peace prize,” she said.
Öcalan, the founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has been imprisoned on İmralı Island since 1999. His conditions have drawn increasing international scrutiny, particularly after a group of Nobel laureates issued an open letter on 26 July, condemning his incommunicado detention and arbitrary restrictions on legal and family visits. The laureates criticised European and international human rights bodies for failing to act despite repeated appeals for Öcalan’s basic rights under Turkish, European, and international law.
Williams expressed concern over Turkey’s reluctance to allow Öcalan to participate in peace negotiations, despite his significant influence on Kurdish politics. “Those of us who have been following the situation for some time certainly hope that Turkey will respond in kind, that they will take up his call and make the conditions for him to participate,” she said. “He’s a fully participating leader in this and also [needs] security.”
After a brief phone call with his brother in March 2021, Öcalan was placed in total incommunicado isolation, which was only broken by a family visit from his nephew, MP Ömer Öcalan, on 23 October 2024. This marked Öcalan’s first contact with the outside world in nearly 43 months —apart from one visit by European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) inspectors— despite international pressure including hunger strikes. The CPT, which has conducted inspections of İmralı prison multiple times over the years, has faced criticism for failing to ensure any improvement in Öcalan’s conditions.
Following the 23 October visit, a delegation of DEM Party MPs, including Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder, held shuttle talks with Öcalan in İmralı prison twice before engaging with political leaders in Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan. As a result of these discussions, an expanded İmralı delegation, including DEM Party co-chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, held a third meeting with Öcalan on 27 February. On the same day, Öcalan’s “Call for Peace and Democratic Society” was publicly announced.
Williams urged the Turkish government to take the peace process seriously and stop using negotiations as a political tool. “The Turkish government should enter meaningful discussion, not be playing games, but, you know, work together with him and other Kurdish leaders to develop a plan for moving forward to finally end this conflict,” she said.
The Nobel laureate’s remarks come amid ongoing concerns about Turkey’s approach to Kurdish rights and the stalled peace process. Between 2013 and 2015, Öcalan played a key role in ceasefire talks between Turkey and the PKK, but negotiations collapsed in 2015, leading to renewed violence. Since then, Turkey has maintained a policy of strict isolation for Öcalan, despite repeated calls from international bodies for access to legal representation and improved prison conditions.
Williams linked the struggle for Kurdish rights to broader global conflicts, drawing comparisons to crises in Israel and Palestine. “In today’s world, all we see is hatred and genocide,” she said. “And to see Öcalan take this position and want to move forward for peace, it’s inspiring.”
The Nobel laureates’ letter, as well as Williams’ statements, add to the mounting pressure on Turkey to rethink its policy on Öcalan’s imprisonment. While Ankara has remained silent on the latest international appeals, Williams expressed hope that Öcalan’s role in future peace efforts would be recognised. “I think it’s a day to feel happy and confident in the possibility of a different future,” she said.
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