In a powerful farewell speech at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on 30 January, Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan strongly criticised the institution’s failure to confront Turkey’s repression of the Kurdish people and ongoing human rights violations.
Gavan, who has represented Northern Ireland’s Sinn Féin at the Strasbourg-based PACE for seven years, welcomed the re-election of PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos but voiced deep frustration over the council’s inaction. He specifically highlighted the case of Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
"Throughout my seven years of attending this institution, I've seen the courageous men and women outside this building who keep a constant vigil for Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the Kurdish freedom movement, who will have been imprisoned on İmralı Island for 26 years next month. For most of this time, he’s been denied prison visits and even access to his lawyers. He truly is the Nelson Mandela of the Kurdish people."
Gavan called for Öcalan’s immediate release, stating that genuine negotiations on the Kurdish issue cannot take place unless he is free to engage in them with dignity.
“Dialogue is crucial, but for real negotiations to take place, [Turkish President] Erdoğan must have the courage to release Öcalan, to enable him to approach these talks from a position of dignity and fairness,” he stressed.
In addition to Öcalan’s imprisonment, Gavan condemned Turkey’s military actions in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), calling for an end to the bombings that have led to numerous civilian deaths. He also denounced the Turkish government’s repression of Kurdish politicians and activists, urging the international community to hold Ankara to account.
“Erdoğan must also stop deposing democratically elected mayors in Turkey, stop harassing Kurdish citizens and stop arresting journalists,” Gavan said, adding, “All of these activities fly in the face of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”
The Senator further warned of dangerous developments in Syria, particularly the growing influence of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group with roots in ISIS, and the lack of political diversity in the new administration.
"The new HTS regime, which has its roots in ISIS, has been welcomed by the West. There will be few tears for Assad, but the early signs are not promising."
He concluded his speech by urging the Council of Europe (CoE) to take concrete action, calling for a renewed commitment to human rights and freedom for Öcalan.
"There is an opportunity now for a brighter future across this region, but it can only come about through the inclusion of the Kurdish freedom movement. The Council of Europe needs to step up now and play a positive role in defending the human rights of all peoples in this region. Freedom for Öcalan and freedom for the Kurdish people!"
This speech marked the end of Gavan’s seven-year tenure at PACE, during which he was a consistent advocate for human rights, democracy, and social justice.
