The international conference “Freedom for Öcalan – A political solution for the Kurdish question”, which opened on 11 April in Rome, brought two days of intensive discussion, strategic planning and global solidarity. Held at the city’s Frentani Congress Centre, the event welcomed over 350 delegates from more than 20 countries, representing political organisations, academic circles, legal networks, trade unions and activist groups. It was organised by the Global Campaign for Freedom for Öcalan, first launched in 2016 — marking a significant milestone in the campaign’s international journey.
Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurdish leader and founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has been held in solitary confinement on Turkey’s İmralı Island since 1999. Now in his 26th year of imprisonment, Öcalan faces severe restrictions, including long stretches without legal or family visits. Human rights groups, international lawyers and political institutions have long condemned his treatment as a violation of international law. Campaigners argue that Öcalan’s freedom is essential for a political solution to the Kurdish question and for democratising both Turkey and the wider Middle East.
Since the relaunch of the campaign in October 2023, there have been notable breakthroughs. Öcalan’s incommunicado detention was partially lifted after several years of total isolation — a major victory for the campaign. Since October 2024, five restricted visits to İmralı have been permitted. Delegates at the conference credited these changes to sustained international pressure and mass mobilisation.
A key focus of the event was Öcalan’s peace appeal of 27 February, in which he outlined a framework for peace and democratic transformation based on democratic confederalism — a model centred on grassroots democracy, gender equality and ecological sustainability. The appeal drew wide international attention and was welcomed by states, parliaments and civil society actors alike. Delegates saw it as a revival of a peace process earlier initiated by Öcalan and the Turkish government, now gaining fresh momentum amid shifting regional dynamics.
The conference opened with powerful keynote speeches and solidarity messages from prominent international figures. Among them were Professor Kariane Westrheim, chair of the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC); Zübeyde Zümrüt, spokesperson for the campaign and co-chair of the Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress in Europe (KCDK-E); and Simon Dubbins from the UK’s Unite the Union. The opening also featured a short documentary charting the campaign’s achievements since October 2023, showcasing its expanding influence.
Speakers included Italian MP Nicola Fratoianni, Basque MP Diana Urrea Herrera and Kurdish Women’s Movement in Europe (TJK-E) member Haskar Kırmızıgül, who all underlined the importance of international solidarity in the Kurdish struggle. Maurizio Acerbo, General Secretary of the Party of Communist Refoundation, and Massimiliano Smeriglio, MEP and a city of Rome councillor, recalled the symbolic significance of Rome itself — the city where Öcalan sought asylum in 1998 before being forced to flee. His subsequent abduction in Kenya in February 1999, in a joint operation involving the CIA, MOSSAD and Turkey’s National Intelligence Agency (MİT), remains infamous among Kurds as the “international conspiracy”.
The second day focused on legal frameworks and regional experiences. A panel titled “Twenty-six years of the İmralı isolation system as the biggest test of law and politics” examined the legal mechanisms sustaining Öcalan’s isolation. Contributions came from legal experts Rengin Ergül and Şerife Ceren Uysal, as well as former Icelandic Justice Minister Ögmundur Jónasson. The discussion revealed how Öcalan’s treatment not only breaches international standards but also entrenches authoritarianism in Turkey.
Later sessions explored how Öcalan’s democratic society model is applied in practice — particularly in North and East Syria (Rojava) — and assessed its continuing relevance within Turkey. Speakers included pro-Kurdish Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party MPs Pervin Buldan and Ömer Öcalan, Foza Yusuf of northern Syria’s Democratic Union Party (PYD) and Idris Baluken, a former Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP involved in the 2013–2015 İmralı peace talks. Their case studies showcased participatory governance, women’s leadership and pluralistic politics inspired by Öcalan’s writings, presenting them as credible alternatives to state-centric systems in the region.
Particularly powerful were the speeches by Pervin Buldan and Ömer Öcalan, reflecting on their recent visits to İmralı. They emphasised Öcalan’s unwavering commitment to peace, his faith in democratic struggle and his vision of a future built on solidarity between Kurds and Turks. Both reiterated the indispensable role of women in leading peace processes, echoing Öcalan’s long-held conviction that gender liberation is a cornerstone of any just society.
Buldan, a senior DEM Party figure and one of the first to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Öcalan’s behalf during earlier talks, announced that new steps may be imminent:
“After this, we will have a meeting with the Minister of Justice, who will be visiting us.
Then we will probably have another meeting with Mr Öcalan on the island of İmralı. This process is expected to be completed in a few months — by the end of June.”She described these moves as indicators of a wider shift:
“Every step taken is also a path to Mr Öcalan’s physical freedom.”
Buldan appealed for support from European countries, stressing that:
“Everyone will be the winner in peace — Turkey, the Kurds, Alevis, women, youth, the East and the West.”
She recalled the gains of the previous three-year peace process:
“No one lost their lives, no mothers cried, no young people went underground.”
And closed with a clear message:
“It is in our hands to make this process a success.”
Their testimonies confirmed that Öcalan remains not only a major intellectual force but also a living political figure whose ideas continue to inspire international dialogue.
The conference will wind up with a final panel session and concluding forum. A closing declaration will then be issued, setting out collective strategies for advancing the campaign and securing Öcalan’s freedom.
