DTK (Democratic Society Congress) TJA (Free Women's Movement), DBP (Democratic Regions' Party) and HDP (Peoples' Democratic Party) organised a celebration to mark the 68th birthday of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan in the village of Amara (Ömerli) in Urfa's Halfeti district where he was born.

While the celebrations in the village take place with the participation of thousands from across Northern Kurdistan every year, Turkish military and police forces have this year blocked access to the village for days in an effort to hinder the celebration.

Yesterday evening, Turkish security forces forcibly evacuated the masses that had gathered in the village for days to join the celebration. Thousands of people on their way to the village have been denied access as all the ways leading to the village were blocked, in addition to the roads in Halfeti district.

Thousands of Kurds that see the birthday of the Kurdish leader as the birthday of the Kurdish people were obstructed and kept waiting on their way from Urfa, Antep and other cities in Northern Kurdistan.

DTK Co-chair Leyla Güven, HDP Urfa MP Dilek Öcalan- niece of the Kurdish leader-, TJA members, Solidarity with Prisons Initiative activists, Cizre victim Mehmet Yavuzel's mother Hanım Yavuzel, another Cizre victim, journalist Rohat Aktaş's mother Öeliha Aktaş and many other people from surrounding villages could join the celebration in Amara village under siege.

While soldiers blockaded the house in which Abdullah Öcalan was born, the Kurdish leader's brother Mehmet Öcalan welcomed and thanked all those that managed to come to the village despite the obstacles.

HDP deputies Feleknas Uca, Sibel Yiğitalp, Leyla Birlik, Saadet Becerikli, İbrahim Ayhan, DBP and HDP Urfa provincial and district administrators were also blocked in front of the DBP Halfeti district office. While all the entry and exit points in the district were closed, police did not allow journalists to report from the scene.

On the other hand, DTK Co-chair Leyla Güven was stopped and detained while leaving the village after the celebration.

Meliha Aktaş, mother of Azadiya Welat editor Rohat Aktaş who was murdered in Cizre, and Peace Mother Hadlê Oğur's husband Cebrail Oğur were also taken into custody in Halfeti district of Urfa after leaving the Amara village.