“Our fundamental demand is the physical freedom of [Abdullah] Öcalan,” said Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, parliamentary group co-chair of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, in a striking call from Ankara on Monday during a press conference at the parliament. “Without addressing this issue, no real progress is possible.”
Koçyiğit sharply criticised the government’s ongoing isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), who has been held in solitary confinement on the Turkish high-security prison island of İmralı for more than two decades.
She stated that the Kurdish question could not be resolved without Öcalan’s involvement. “A solution to the Kurdish question requires dialogue with its main interlocutor. İmralı must be part of any process that seeks real peace.”
Koçyiğit stressed that the continued silence from İmralı represented a deliberate policy by the Turkish state. “The political power blocks Öcalan from communicating not only with his lawyers and family but also with the broader public. This is not just about prison conditions—it is about silencing a political will.”
She reiterated that the DEM Party would not accept a system where “the state speaks only to itself” and bypasses the legitimate demands of millions of Kurds.
Touching on broader regional developments, Koçyiğit referred to the recent Kurdish Unity Conference held in Qamishli (Qamişlo), northeast Syria. “We believe this conference will contribute to the building of a pluralistic, democratic Syria. The unity of the Kurds is also a key to democratising the whole Middle East,” she said.
Responding to a journalist’s question about the PKK Executive Council’s recent call for a congress, Koçyiğit refrained from direct commentary but noted, “They have expressed that they still support their initial decision to convene, but underline that the necessary conditions, including the freedom of Mr Öcalan, have not been met.”
Koçyiğit’s remarks come amid heightened political tensions and ahead of Labour Day demonstrations on 1 May.
Turning to domestic political developments, she raised concerns about the health of Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a prominent figure in past peace negotiations and a member of the DEM Party’s İmralı delegation. “Millions across the country are anxiously waiting and hoping for his recovery. I share my hope once again that Sırrı will resist, rise, and return among us,” she said.
Koçyiğit also used the press briefing to call out the government’s economic policies, accusing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of prioritising the wealthy while pushing millions into poverty.
“Millions are crying out—‘ey havar!’” she declared, invoking a Kurdish lament. “They are overwhelmed by hunger and poverty, but the government continues to serve only capital and the rich.”
She criticised the government for failing to adjust minimum wages and pensions in line with inflation, accusing it of manipulating inflation targets for political ends. “The Central Bank quickly revises the inflation targets after declaring them, but the salaries of workers and retirees remain frozen. This is an economic game played at the expense of the people.”
Koçyiğit highlighted the discrepancy between the poverty line and the minimum wage, noting a significant drop in purchasing power. “The hunger threshold has reached 26,000 lira [around 675 USD], yet the minimum wage is still 22,000 [570 USD]. The real wage loss for workers is over 2,300 lira [60 USD] since January,” she said.
Addressing Turkey’s ongoing earthquake risk, Koçyiğit accused the government of imprisoning those responsible for urban safety. “After the recent 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Istanbul, we see that the people who should be preparing the city for such disasters—urban planners, municipal leaders—are behind bars.”
“Why are those tasked with protecting life and the city’s future in prison?” she asked. “The mayors of Şişli and Esenyurt, city planning officials, all detained under vague justifications. Is their crime preparing Istanbul for a safer future?”
She linked these arrests to political repression, arguing that targeting opposition-run municipalities undermined not only democracy but public safety.
Koçyiğit also strongly criticised the government’s insistence on banning workers from Taksim Square on 1 May. “Taksim is open for New Year’s celebrations and football matches, but not for labour. We reject this double standard,” she said.
She paid tribute to the 34 workers killed during the 1977 Labour Day attack in Taksim and vowed to honour their memory by joining workers in the streets. “As DEM Party, we will raise our voice with the working class for a life and working conditions worthy of human dignity.”
