15 February marks the 25th anniversary of the abduction of the Kurdish people’s leader, Abdullah Öcalan. Since then, Öcalan has been isolated on the prison island of Imrali and there has been no sign of life from him for three years. On 17 February, a Europe-wide demonstration for the freedom of Öcalan will take place in Cologne.

In an ANF interview, Presidential Council member of the Community of Kurdistan Societies (KCK), Sozdar Avesta, talked about the resistance of the Kurdish representative in the face of a quarter of a century of isolation.

Avesta said that it is necessary to intensify the fight that has been waged over the past 25 years against Öcalan's isolation and for a solution to the Kurdish question. She said: "As long as the AKP-MHP regime's fascism towards our people continues, it will not be possible to resolve the Kurdish question and thus reach the physical freedom of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan]. So above all we have to defeat the fascist line of the AKP-MHP."

Avesta continued: "We are currently in an important and strategic phase. There is great chaos in the region; the Third World War is taking place here. Above all, the war in North Kurdistan continues, and preparations should be made for new offensives come spring. At the beginning of this year, the freedom guerrillas carried out very effective actions in Zap, Metîna and Xakurke. Preparations are being made to achieve great success again this year. These actions show how the struggle will develop in this period. This year we must unite around the guerrillas. Just as thousands of young Kurds and internationalist young people joined the guerrillas on 15 February 1999, this type of participation must also take place in this phase."

Avesta added: "The freedom guerrillas resist based on Rêber Apo's paradigm. In this way, they thwarted the attacks on Rêber Apo and the freedom movement. The dissemination of his ideas is the most important thing to guarantee his physical freedom. The defense of the women's revolution against the attacks on the Rojava revolution, which developed under the leadership of women, and the protection of the values created at great cost, will make Rêber Apo's physical freedom inevitable. All this is a whole. Just as all the hegemonic powers have united in the international conspiracy, we must intensify our fight against these powers. The actions organized as part of the offensive 'Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, political solution to the Kurdish question', which are currently being launched in many parts of the world, must continue uninterrupted. The year 2024 must become a year of uninterrupted struggle using diverse means and methods. The actions so far have brought the fight to a certain level, but now it must continue."

Millions should take part in the demonstration in Cologne

The leading KCK representative called for broad participation in the demonstration in Cologne and said: "The 25th anniversary of the international conspiracy must be used as an opportunity to strengthen the fight in all areas under the leadership of Kurdish women and young people. The resistance should intensify and organize further. There is also a foundation and basis for this. On 15 February, I would like to appeal to our people and our friends to take part in the protests against the international conspiracy, especially in the demonstration to be held in Cologne on Saturday 17 February. The demonstration in Germany is particularly important. There have been demonstrations in Kurdistan and Europe for days. Millions of people should take part in the demonstration in Cologne and take a stance that does justice to Rêber Apo's resistance. The participation should also be worthy of the resistance of the guerrillas and the values created by the freedom movement, which has been following the line of Rêber Apo for 51 years. We call on all our people and friends, especially women and young people, to take part in this march."

“The key to the solution lies in North Kurdistan”

Avesta continued: "Our people in North Kurdistan must stay on their feet until the Freedom March taking place there reaches its destination. It must stand up for resistance in prisons and support the attitude of Rêber Apo. The key to the solution lies in North Kurdistan. The defeat of fascism will be achieved through the struggle in North Kurdistan. Our people in North Kurdistan know this very well. I call on everyone again to bring life to a standstill on 15 February. We must also take a stand against the conspiracy in Northern and Eastern Syria, in South Kurdistan and in all regions. We must be clear that the result of our struggle will be the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. On this basis, on behalf of our movement, I once again greet those who have taken part and will take part in these protests and salute them for their resistance. Our fight will guarantee the physical freedom of Rêber Apo."