Arab women and youth in Shengal (Sinjar) staged a march against the 15 February International Conspiracy against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. The founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) was abducted from Kenya on 15 February 1999 with the cooperation of international secret services. This act of piracy, contrary to international law, had begun with Öcalan's forced departure from Syria on 9 October 1998. The Kurdish community is taking the upcoming anniversary of his abduction as an opportunity to demand the release of the 74-year-old leader and a political solution to the Kurdish question.

The march was organized by the Arab Regions Women's Assembly and the Shengal Arab Youth Initiative, and attended by hundreds of women and young people.

At the end of the march, statements were made on behalf of the Arab Youth Initiative and the Arab Women's Assembly.

‘With the international conspiracy, women's freedom was targeted’

Speaking on behalf of the Arab Women's Assembly, Fatima Mustafa condemned the international conspiracy against Öcalan and said: "It has been 25 years since Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) was captured by international occupation forces. This conspiracy was carried out against all peoples who value freedom in the person of Leader Apo. Currently, oppressed people all over the world are organising themselves through the ideas of Öcalan. With the conspiracy against Leader Apo, women's freedom was targeted."

‘Erdoğan supports ISIS to prevent the freedom of women and people’

Referring to the ISIS genocide in Shengal in 2014, Mustafa continued: "During the ISIS aggression in the region, violence was mostly applied to women, who were the main target of the gangs. During this onslaught, which took place in front of the eyes of the whole world, all kinds of inhuman massacres were carried out against women in Shengal. In addition, more than 5 thousand Yazidi women were captured, sold and bought. It was a great shame for the entire Middle East that women were subjected to these attacks. Fascist Erdoğan, who supports ISIS gangs to prevent the freedom of women and people, is aggravating the isolation of the Leader."

Fatima Mustafa drew attention to the organisation of Arab women and said: "We, as Arab women organised based on Leader Apo's ideas and philosophy, will support and fight for Leader Apo day and night. We will stand up day and night to achieve his physical freedom."

 'We will be a ring of fire around Leader Öcalan’

Hasan Anwar, who spoke on behalf of the Arab Youth Initiative, said: "The captivity of Leader Apo was a black day for the Arab people and all the peoples of the world. The aim of this conspiracy was to maintain their control over the people and prevent the freedom of the society. We are entering the 26th year of Leader Apo's imprisonment in Imrali prison, where he is not allowed to speak to the public and his voice is not heard. For this reason, we will always be in action with the slogan 'You cannot darken our sun' and we will never give up our struggle for the freedom of Leader Apo. In order to break the isolation, we, as Arab youth, will be a ring of fire around Leader Apo."