A press conference held in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday saw participation from representatives of various organisations, all calling for urgent action on the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The event was moderated by Sarah Glynn, writer and the representative of the Permanent Vigil for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. Glynn highlighted that Öcalan has spent the majority of his imprisonment since 1999 in absolute isolation, which “is contrary to international human rights principles.”
Along with Glynn, Vicente Jose Rekondo from LAB in the Basque Country emphasised the key role Öcalan holds in resolving the Kurdish issue. He stated that Öcalan is the guarantor of a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue.
Simon Dubbins, the International Director of Unite the Union in the UK, has called upon the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) to provide information, stating that the isolation is devoid of any legal justification. He strongly emphasised the unacceptable conditions in which the prisoners in İmrali, including Abdullah Öcalan, are being held.
President of the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) Mike Arnott expressed solidarity with Abdullah Öcalan and the Kurdish people. He called for information on Öcalan’s condition, asking, “What happened to Abdullah Öcalan?”
Jurgen Klute from the European United Left/Nordic Green Left Group, a former MEP from 2009 to 2014, listed three demands including an end to the practice of isolation, freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, and a halt to Turkey’s war against northern Syria (Rojava). He criticised the silence of European institutions and pressed urgency to address the demands.
The press conference ended with a call for immediate action to address the situation of Abdullah Öcalan and the broader implications for regional stability, security, and human rights.
