A continent-wide petition demanding the release of Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), was launched on 13 November at a conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Organised under the banner of the global campaign ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan: A Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’, the initiative aims to secure widespread support across Latin America. In just five days, more than 200 organisations, unions, and notable individuals have endorsed the campaign, which will run until 23 November.
The petition’s organisers have linked their efforts to a broader global movement, which has previously seen 69 Nobel laureates address European institutions, urging action on Öcalan’s continued detention. This Latin American campaign, however, has a distinct focus on presenting the signatures to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and relevant European bodies, underscoring the international dimension of their advocacy.
At the Buenos Aires conference, attended by representatives from left-wing groups, workers’ unions, and political figures, key discussions revolved around Öcalan’s isolation in Turkey and its implications for democratic rights globally. During the conference, the imprisonment of the PKK leader in Turkey was discussed by a member of the Kurdistan Women’s Movement. The political situation in Kurdistan and the Middle East was also discussed by the journalist Leandro Albani and by the Academy of Democratic Modernity.
Alejandro Vilca, a deputy of PTD (Left and Workers Front – Unity), and Celeste Fierro, a Buenos Aires City deputy with MST-FIT-Unity, described the conditions of Öcalan’s imprisonment as a violation of fundamental human rights. Fierro further emphasised the significance of solidarity, stating that advocating for Öcalan’s freedom was a defence of democratic principles.
Colombia emerged as a significant contributor to the campaign, with 49 organisations lending their support, while the Argentine deputy Vanina Biasi described Öcalan as a symbol of global resistance against oppression. Calling his isolation “a crime against the struggle for freedom of all peoples,” Biasi urged for international solidarity.
Organisers of the petition aim to maximise signatures in the remaining days of the campaign, hoping to strengthen their appeal for justice and democratic solutions in Kurdistan and beyond. The initiative forms part of a global effort, which has already hosted over 250 events in 50 countries, further raising awareness of Öcalan’s imprisonment and its broader political implications.
