The Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Vigil was launched on 25 June 2012 in Strasbourg to break the absolute isolation imposed on the Kurdish people's Leader and to demand his freedom.

The Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Vigil continues in its 559th week.

A group of activists from Basel took over the vigil. The group includes Delil Ek, Ferhat Öncül, Erdal Delek and Aram Amed.

Speaking on behalf of the Basel Democratic Kurdish Community Center, Delil Ek started his speech by expressing his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives due to the earthquakes in Kurdistan and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. He said: “This earthquake showed the Kurdish people that we need to organize with our own strength, build our institutions and support each other. If we have expectations from the state, we will die, we will remain buried under the rubble, we will die of cold and hunger. This earthquake showed clearly that we need to organize and take care of ourselves."

Reminding that they are in Strasbourg to demand freedom for the Kurdish people's Leader, Delil Ek said: "The freedom of the Leader is the freedom of the Kurdish people." Ek added: “Our Leader has been held captive in Imrali prison for over two decades, unjustly and unlawfully. This is a vigil for justice, a vigil for humanity, conscience and morality. We will succeed. We have been carrying out this vigil uninterruptedly for 11 years. We will continue to hold this action until our leadership is liberated.”