A coalition in Spain’s Senate has submitted a motion calling for the release of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, arguing that his freedom is essential to ending the cycle of violence in Turkey and Kurdistan. On 10 October, the Izquierdas por la Independencia* group urged the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee to act, stating, “Öcalan’s release is crucial for the breaking of the cycle of violence that has marked the country’s history.”
The motion, presented by Senators Gorka Elejabarrieta Díaz and Laura Castel i Fort of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) and Euskal Herria Bildu, condemns Öcalan’s continued isolation as a violation of fundamental human rights. The motion stresses that Öcalan has been held in “complete isolation” since 2019, with no contact with the outside world, including his lawyers and family. “This policy of isolation is a violation of his basic and fundamental rights,” it states.
Öcalan is recognised as a central figure in the Kurdish peace process in the motion, which highlights his importance to progress in resolving the conflict. “Over the years, Öcalan has proposed numerous peace initiatives, including a roadmap for resolution of the conflict, which was endorsed by the Kurdish community,” the senators explained. “However, the Turkish government has ignored these proposals, continuing the violence and suffering.”
The motion calls on the Spanish government to use diplomatic pressure on Turkey to release Öcalan and improve conditions for political prisoners. It also urges the international community to monitor Öcalan’s situation closely and push for his rights to be respected.
The Senate motion states, “Öcalan’s release is not only a matter of justice but a moral imperative for breaking the cycle of violence that has defined Turkey’s history.”
The Izquierdas por la Independencia coalition is a pro-independence group in Spain’s Senate, formed by members of the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), a left-wing, Catalan pro-independence political party and Euskal Herria Bildu, a Basque nationalist left-wing group advocating for the independence of the Basque Country. The coalition supports causes related to self-determination, human rights and peace, and has taken an active role in addressing international issues like the Kurdish question and the imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan.
