Mehmet Öcalan, brother of imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, on Monday called on all parties to ensure peace talks continue, describing them as essential for resolving the Kurdish question and fostering stability across the Middle East.
Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held on İmralı island since 1999, remains at the centre of recent discussions about the Kurdish question. In a rare development, delegations from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party visited İmralı in October and December. These visits, the first political meetings with Öcalan since 2015, included high-profile figures such as DEM MPs Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder. However, despite the significance of these talks, restrictions on family and legal visits to the island remain firmly in place.
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Mehmet Öcalan, who last met his brother face-to-face in March 2020, condemned the ongoing isolation measures. “This is the most primitive and dictatorial policy, even compared to the harshest regimes,” he said. He described the refusal of regular visits by family members and lawyers as a clear violation of fundamental rights. “Every two weeks, we apply to visit, and each time we are rejected. This is not charity; it is a legal right. We are citizens of this country, and we demand recognition of our rights.”
Despite the restrictions, Mehmet Öcalan underscored the importance of the recent talks. While acknowledging that the October visit by DEM Party MP Ömer Öcalan was a family meeting, he noted that the December delegation led by Buldan and Önder held broader significance. “This process must continue. Visits to İmralı regarding the Kurdish issue are positive steps. Abdullah Öcalan’s stance remains firm: he advocates for a democratic resolution, and this is well understood by everyone who meets with him. What remains unclear is the state’s objective,” he said.
Mehmet Öcalan further highlighted that Abdullah Öcalan’s democratic solution model extends beyond Kurdish concerns, offering a blueprint for stability across the Middle East. Referring to the region’s ongoing conflicts, he remarked, “If a democratic process begins on İmralı, it will not only benefit Turkey but also ease tensions across the region. Every day, blood is spilled on these lands. For the killing to stop, Abdullah Öcalan must be allowed to play his role.”
He expressed alarm over recent violence, including the deaths of two journalists in Rojava. “These journalists were armed only with cameras, not weapons. Without a resolution, no one’s safety can be guaranteed,” he said, calling for immediate action to resume talks. Mehmet Öcalan urged the Turkish government to open İmralı to delegations, lawyers, and families, emphasising that this was “not a favour but a necessity for peace”.
Stressing the urgency of sustained efforts, he appealed to both political and civil society actors to fulfil their roles. “Everyone must act responsibly to ensure these discussions move forward. Abdullah Öcalan’s vision of a democratic resolution is not just for Kurds; it is a path to peace for the entire region. If this issue is resolved, all the peoples of the Middle East will benefit.”
Mehmet Öcalan concluded by reaffirming the transformative potential of these talks. “A solution on İmralı could pave the way for stability and peace across the Middle East. The stakes are too high to allow this opportunity to slip away.”
