A group of Kurdish women from the Netherlands took over the "Freedom for Öcalan Vigil" in Strasbourg on its 475th week. The vigil demands the end of the isolation imposed on Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan and aims for his release.

This week, Dutch Kurdish Women's Movement activists Meral Amed, Fatma Pirsus and Şirin Amed are carrying out the action.

The vigil, organized where European institutions are located, has been going on for 10 years. Speaking on behalf of the group, Meral Amed said that with the start of the "Dem dema to Azadiye" initiative, the goal of all Kurds is to liberate Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan and to break the isolation. She said that this is the same demand of the hunger strike going on in prisons.

Meral Amed said, “The freedom of our Leader is the freedom of all Kurds and Kurdistani peoples, especially women,” and pointed out that the action pointed out that Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan is the main actor in a solution to the Kurdish problem.

Emphasizing that, with the vigil, the Kurdish people have exposed the crimes against humanity committed by the Turkish state and its allies, Meral Amed reiterated the call on Europe not to be a partner in these crimes.

Pointing out that Kurdistan is facing the invasion of the Turkish state, Meral Amed said that the occupation in South Kurdistan was carried out together with collaborators and expressed that the Kurdish people should unite against the invasion and betrayal.

Stating that the collaborators are the enemy of the Kurdish people, like the Turkish state that attacked the guerrillas, Meral Amed added that the Kurdish people will not forgive those who promote war among Kurds. “We have to ensure our unity as soon as possible. We must unite against the enemy.”

The Freedom Vigil is held every day of the week between 7.30 and 16.30: Activists inform people about Abdullah Öcalan's life, struggle and captivity with brochures prepared in many languages.