A cultural festival for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan took place in the Hague on Saturday. The main topic was the resistance in Kurdistan against Turkish occupation. Kurds from the Netherlands and Belgium participated in the event. Speakers were Kati Piri from the Dutch "Partij van de Arbeid" and former HDP deputy Faysal Sariyildiz.

Kati Piri addressed in her speech the political campaign of annihilation against the Kurdish opposition in Turkey. There is no democracy in the country any more, said the European parliamentarian and referred to the former HDP co-chairs Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş who have been held as political hostages in Turkish prisons for almost four years. Piri has often visited Kurdistan and Turkey in her capacity as a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy. In 2016 she was declared an undesirable person in Turkey. The politician said at the festival that she always stands by the side of the Kurds concerned in view of the illegal actions of the Turkish state.

Faysal Sariyildiz, who is now living in European exile due to political persecution in Turkey, emphasized in his speech the necessity of organizing and jointly resisting in the face of the Turkish regime's declared will to destroy.

Stands were set up on the festival grounds. The International Free Women's Foundation and Ronahi Women's Council provided information about the fight against femicide and showed an exhibition of pictures.

The cultural program included performances by Engîn Xelîlkan, Kewê, Bengîn Agirî, Sîmar, Koma Şiladizê, Alî Dildar and Bagerê Zînê.