The KCK Executive Council Co-Presidency issued a statement about Veysi Taş, who set his body on fire to protest the isolation of Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan in Merdîn on Friday.

The statement said: "Friend Veysi Taş, who set his body on fire to protest the isolation of Leader Apo, fell a martyr. We learned about the action of friend Veysi Taş and the words he expressed while carrying out this action, from the press. Veysi Taş took  political action against the isolation of Leader Apo and fell a martyr. We, in the person of Veysi Taş, commemorate all martyrs of revolution and democracy with respect and gratitude, and reiterate our promise of victory and success to the martyrs.

Friend Veysi Taş was a very valuable Kurdistan patriot who has devoted his life to the Kurdistan freedom struggle, as can be seen from the message he left for us. During the 12 September 1980 fascist military coup, he was jailed in Diyarbakir prison and was severely tortured. He was arrested and imprisoned again a time later. He has seen and recognized the murderous, torturer and anti-Kurdish face of the genocidal colonialist Turkish state very well. Throughout his life, he fought against the genocidal colonial enemy. He was a person who was extremely conscious and had a deep patriotic consciousness and feeling. With his martyrdom, he joined the caravan of martyrs and became a martyr of Kurdistan.”

The statement continued: “With this action, friend Veysi Taş has very clearly demonstrated his loyalty to Leader Apo and the great value that Leader Apo has for the people of Kurdistan. The action he carried out showed that he was devoted to Leader Apo and the Kurdistan freedom struggle with love and deep affection. He deserves great respect. The messages he left for us are also extremely meaningful and important. The calls he made to the Kurdish people and the messages he left for  Kurdish artists must be taken into account and fulfilled. The patriotic people of Kurdistan should consider and fulfill all the wishes and calls of friend Veysi Taş. As the Kurdish freedom movement, we make the calls and wishes of Veysi Taş ours. They are instructions given to us and we say that we will approach them accordingly.

Friend Veysi Taş carried out a great action and called on our people, friends and democracy forces to enlarge the struggle and lead it to success until Leader Apo's conditions for health, security and freedom are met. At the same time, as a movement, he wanted us to expand the struggle against the genocidal colonial enemy in a productive way with rich methods and actions. In this respect, the action of our esteemed patriot, Veysi Taş, should be understood correctly, not by repeating this action but by enlarging the struggle, as he wished. Because the message and call Veysi Taş has given to us is to increase the reaction against the isolation on Leader Apo and to break the Imrali torture and isolation system. Protecting the memory of Veysi Taş is to act on the basis of this call in the first place. We call on our people, our friends and women to show stronger reactions and increase the struggle in order to break the Imrali torture and isolation system and to ensure the freedom of Leader Apo."