The Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Free Women's Movement (TJA), Democratic Regions Party (DBP), and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) organised a big public rally in Şırnak as part of the "Time for Freedom" campaign.

Thousands of people greeted DBP Co-Chair Saliha Aydeniz and HDP Co-Chair Mithat Sancar when they arrived in Idil's Ereban (Karalar) town for the program. During the welcome, Aydeniz and Sancar danced halay with the crowd.

Hundreds of vehicles later formed a convoy on the road leading to the city centre. People set out and greeted the convoy in İdil, Cizre, Kasrik, and Dergûl, which are on the route. Aydeniz and Sancar, who were greeted warmly in the city centre of Şırnak, proceeded to the HDP Provincial Organization building, where the meeting would take place following the city tour.

Thousands of people applauded the arrival of Aydeniz and Sancar, condemned the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan with slogans, and praised the ongoing hunger strike operations in prisons.

People chanted "Bijî Serok Apo" and "Bê Serok jiyan nabe" and waved banners that said "Isolation is a crime against humanity," "Speak out for hunger strikes," and "No to violence against women." The women in traditional attire who attended the rally stood for a long time to the rhythm of drums and horns.

'THE KURDISH PEOPLE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM'

"Those who think they have finished the people of Şırnak, come and look at this square," remarked DBP Co-Chair Saliha Aydeniz, who began her statement with "I salute your resistance." She continued, “They subjected these people to a slew of nefarious policies. Like Botan or Şırnak, the Kurdish people have never backed down. Those who vowed to finish the Kurds have collapsed and disintegrated in the face of the people's opposition today. In Botan culture, there is no going back. The Kurdish people will fight these fascist policies until they attain freedom.”

'WE WILL ENSURE MR. ÖCALAN'S FREEDOM’

Aydeniz stated that the Turkish state aimed to modernise their century-old program of annihilation and denial towards Kurds and other peoples who have fought the fascist rule, saying, "They put this into effect with the isolation of Mr. Öcalan in İmralı. But make it clear to them that this will not work. We will assure Mr. Öcalan's freedom. Alongside the isolation, they turned every location into a fighting zone. The Kurdish people will oppose the isolation that is growing throughout the Middle East. They will resist until Mr. Öcalan's freedom is secured.”

Aydeniz continued her address by discussing the harsh and inhuman circumstances in jails, as well as the hunger strike, which is now in its 270th day. Aydeniz stated, "For months, prisoners have been protesting this crime against humanity and for Mr. Öcalan's freedom. Prisoners are battling for the future of Turkey. Şırnak sends a thousand greetings to the prisoners whose demands are our demands as well. We will enhance their resistance in the squares until these demands are answered. We repeat our call: their demands must be addressed before there are any deaths in prisons. The Kurdish question will be solved if these requests are met and Mr. Öcalan's voice is heeded. If the Kurdish issue is resolved, all of Turkey's problems will be resolved. Isolation is being used by the AKP in order to avoid dealing with the country's challenges. Mr. Öcalan's assistance is the solution. Mr. Öcalan is the Kurdish people's representative. Millions of Kurds support him; ‘Mr. Öcalan is my will,’ they say. As long as the Kurdish problem is not resolved by democratic means and procedures, coups in Turkey will continue, as well as the war.”

'WE WILL NOT ACCEPT LIFE WITHOUT STATUS'

Aydeniz emphasized that the Kurds have stated unequivocally, ‘We will not tolerate life without status,’ and went on to say, "The Kurds seek a free existence. This entails ending the isolation and resolving the Kurdish issue. We stated that isolation is the foundation of war. This isn't just happening in Turkey; they're attacking all over Kurdistan. Kurds have no problems with Turks. Turkey has an issue with the AKP. The AKP has turned the country into a war zone on all sides. Isolation is the cause of the occupation of Southern Kurdistan and the attacks on Rojava.

Kurds must also maintain national unity in the face of this conflict. Today, the AKP-MHP fascist administration is escalating the conflict. They are attempting to undermine the successes of the Kurds and Yazidis in Bashur. To secure the Kurds' gains, we must ensure national unity as quickly as possible. We must ensure this not only for the sake of a party but also for the sake of the Kurds' situation. We have paid a high price for years because the Kurds have refused to kneel down in the face of all attacks. Kurds are currently at the pinnacle of freedom. The Kurds will safeguard the Middle East's freedom. This year is a year of liberation for the Kurds, and it is also a year of freedom for Mr. Öcalan. Mr. Öcalan's freedom will be the Middle East's freedom.”