In Van province, one of the largest Newroz celebrations in recent years is taking place despite systematic repression. Since early morning, tens of thousands of people have arrived at the square below the fortress. The celebration runs under the slogan "Let's resist with the Newroz fire, let's liberate ourselves!". The participants wear traditional clothes and flags of the HDP. One banner reads: "The more fascist you become, the more rebellious we become". The slogan "Bijî Rêber Apo" [Long Live Leader Öcalan] is heard again and again.

The official program began with a minute of silence, which was again followed by slogans for Abdullah Öcalan. On behalf of the organizers, Sedat Düşünmez welcomed the crowd and expressed his wish that Newroz would be an occasion for peace and freedom.

In a speech, Fikret Doğan, co-chair of the HDP provincial association, drew attention to the attacks against the people and their elected representatives. "The political prisoners continue their hunger strike so that the isolation is lifted and the Kurdish issue is solved through democratic and peaceful methods. The illegal action against the prisoners and especially the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, which is actually applied to the whole society, must be lifted immediately," said the HDP politician at the start of the event.