Following the call of several institutions, organisations and movements, including trade unions, feminist movements and political party representatives, a signature campaign was launched at the Latin American continental level within the framework of the ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’ campaign launched globally in October 2023. The campaign was announced at a press conference at the CTA-Autonoma Centre in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, on 13 November.

Over 400 organisations from 18 countries of Abya Yala (Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, Ecuador, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Peru, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Panama) have participated in the campaign. Signatures were also collected from other continents. The closing of the signature campaign launched at the continental level will be concluded with an event at the Argentine Parliament on 6 December. Civil society organisations are showing their support for the campaign everywhere.

Over the weekend, the Encuentro Memoria Verdad y Justicia (Meeting on Memory, Truth, Justice) held its annual congress in Buenos Aires. The Meeting on Memory, Truth, Justice, which includes more than 100 organisations, among them political parties and human rights organisations, was founded in 1996 to ensure that the massacres committed during the dictatorship are not forgotten, all the crimes are put on trial and true justice is achieved. As a common view emerging from the Congress, the dirty war against the Kurdish people was condemned and freedom for Abdullah Öcalan was demanded. This view was also included in the final declaration.

All the organisations under the umbrella of the ‘Meeting on Memory, Truth, Justice’ are playing an active role by participating in the campaign launched at the Latin American level. Here are the views of some of the representatives of the Congress:

Elena Nono, former president of the Argentine Popular Workers’ Party, stated that the party demands the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan and drew attention to the developments in Northern Kurdistan. Elena Nono emphasised that Turkish President Erdoğan's oppressive, fascist and human rights- violating policy against the Turkish and Kurdish people is getting more and more severe day by day and said: “We are in solidarity with the campaign for Öcalan's freedom and we demand his freedom. We think that this campaign has created great power. A spirit of solidarity has emerged with this campaign. We will show our solidarity at the highest level for Öcalan's freedom.”

Marielena Nadeo from the General Secretariat of the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights stated that they support this campaign as the Mothers of Plazo De Mayo (Founding Line) and said: “We know that the Kurdish question is not a new issue. We know that the Kurds are a people who have put up historic resistance in very difficult conditions, in a dirty war. We also know that the Turkish state has committed many crimes. For the resistance of the Kurdish people, especially Kurdish women, we need to double our strength and expand this campaign and raise our voices. We must increase our solidarity for a democratic solution for the Kurdish people and the leader of the Kurdish people.”

Maria Jose Cano, Director of Human Rights at CTA/ Autónoma Nacional, recalled that they are among the pioneers of the campaign and said: “We take responsibility for institutions and organisations from all corners of our country to embrace this campaign. We reiterate our commitment to ensure their participation not only by signing the petition, but as campaigners, also to ensure their solidarity by recognising the war being waged against the Kurdish people in a very ugly way. In this way, we can create international pressure and ensure Öcalan's freedom.”

Mirta Israili, a member of Panelos En Rebeldia and Feministas Abya Yala, said: “Öcalan's continued detention is a political approach. We are fighting strongly and demanding Öcalan's freedom. At the same time, we demand autonomy for all Kurdish people. We will continue this struggle together with our Kurdish comrades from Argentina.”