Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been kept in isolation in İmralı Island for 25 years, turned 75 years old. A march was organised to the village of Amara in Halfeti district of Urfa, where Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan was born in 1949.

The march with the slogan "To Amara for Freedom" was organised by the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA), Association for Assistance and Solidarity with the Families Who Lost Their Relatives in the Cradle of Civilisations (MEBYA-DER), MED Federation of Legal and Solidarity Associations of Families of Prisoners and Convicts (MED TUHAD-FED), Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party).

People from many cities of Kurdistan and Turkey gathered in the rural Aligor neighbourhood of Suruç for the march, including DBP Co-Chairperson Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar, MED TUHAD-FED Co-Chairperson Kerem Canpolat, HDK Co-Spokesperson Cengiz Çiçek, lawyers from Asrin Law Office as well as representatives of many non-governmental organisations. The crowd danced to Kurdish songs before starting the march.

Speaking here, DEM Party MP Ömer Öcalan said, "If there is a nation, of course it has a leader. Our leader is Mr Öcalan. The Kurdish people have been standing up for their leader for 40 years. For this reason, everyone has been going to Amara on 4 April since 2004. Those who said 'we have finished the Kurds' saw the people before them. It is Mr Öcalan who leads the people. We have a long way to go. Mr Öcalan is 75 years old, and it is time for his physical freedom. Mothers long for an honourable peace. Mothers gave their lives and children for this cause. Dozens of young people lost their lives and dozens of them are in prison."

Calling attention to the ongoing hunger strike of political prisoners in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan, MP Öcalan said: “We will be the voice of Mr Öcalan and all prisoners. Our struggle will continue until a democratic solution is achieved.”

Speaking after, DBP Co-Chair Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar said, "The country is in a very serious crisis. Democracy, law and justice are underfoot in this country. While all this is happening, it is the AKP-MHP government that should be the last to speak. The people gave a great answer in the elections. Kurds gave you a lesson. The government, which could not secure a presence in Kurdistan, wanted to usurp the gains of the Kurdish people with fake voters. The people responded in Van. The government attacked all our democratic rights. Our winning candidates were dragged on the ground and detained. Why? Out of fear. They also know our power."

Reminding Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan's words "The solution process is in deep freezer", Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar said: "Kurdish People's Leader, Mr Abdullah Öcalan gave many warnings when the negotiation process started. 'A country without bloodshed and tears is possible', he said. The government closed its eyes. 'This country is not doomed to poverty,' he said. They closed their eyes. They said, 'We have put the solution process in the deep freezer'. The Kurds pulled the plug of the deep freezer. Happy birthday to the Kurdish People's Leader, Mr Abdullah Öcalan, who is standing upright despite 25 years of isolation."

Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar emphasised that İmralı Prison should be closed and added, "Necessary initiatives should be taken so that Mr Öcalan can play his role. Mr Öcalan's ideas are being discussed all around the world. Kurds are standing up in Rojava and around the world. This problem is not unsolvable. Those who insisted on this problem received the biggest answer. The Freedom March continues. Today we move towards Amara, towards the freedom of Mr Abdullah Öcalan. We will do our best for a democratic solution to the Kurdish question and the freedom of Mr Abdullah Öcalan. We did not and will not allow the government to rule the country with an isolation regime. Happy birthday to the Kurdish People's Leader, happy birthday to our struggle." 

After the statements, people started to march towards Amara.

Reaching Halfeti district, the people marched to the DEM Party district building. Due to the blockade of Amara by the Turkish military, the march was turned into a public meeting at the party's district building. In the event here, Abdullah Öcalan's writings about his life and struggle were read. Afterwards, the people present at the meeting talked about what needs to be done for the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.

The event ended with the slogan "Be Serok jiyan nabe" (No life without the leader).