February 15 marks the 22nd anniversary of the abduction of Abdullah Öcalan from the Greek embassy in Nairobi to solitary confinement on Imrali. In addition to Turkey, international powers such as the United States and its allies were directly involved in the PKK leader's abduction.

In a statement on the occasion, the PKK Executive Committee saluted the Imrali resistance and said: "We especially remember the martyrs who created a shield of fire around Abdullah Öcalan under the slogan 'We will not let our sun be darkened' and made the conspiracy fail. We commemorate in this sense the first martyrs in the resistance against the conspiracy, Halit Oral and Aynur Artan and also the last one, Dilşêr Herekol."

PKK declared its determination to fight even more intensively and achieve greater successes in the 23rd year with the "Time for Freedom" campaign.

The historical dimension of the conspiracy

Regarding the historical dimension of the conspiracy, the PKK wrote: "The international conspiracy is based on a system of annihilation of the Kurdish people and especially of the free Kurdish identity. In this sense, it represents a total attack seeking to complete this annihilation. On this basis, Şêx Sait and his companions were killed in February 1925, with the attacks on Agiri, Dersim, South Kurdistan and East Kurdistan continued. Since Chairman Apo became the representative of Kurdish existence and freedom and the Kurdish question reached the level of a free democratic solution, he and the PKK have been attacked. That is why February 15 marks the 96th anniversary of the 1925 conspiracy and the 22nd anniversary of the 1999 conspiracy. Therefore, February 15 is the day of Kurdish genocide.

Isolation torture on Imrali for 22 years

The PKK statement further includes the following:

“First of all, it was arranged that Abdullah Öcalan had to leave Syria on October 9, 1998. In this way, they wanted to destroy him. When this conspiracy failed to achieve its goal, preparations were made for February 15, 1999. This conspiracy aimed to execute Abdullah Öcalan. When this also failed, a policy of attrition through torture and isolation was set in motion on Imrali. By destroying Rêber Apo [Leader Abdullah Öcalan], the PKK was meant to be destroyed and by destroying the PKK, the genocide against the Kurds was meant to be completed. This attempt of annihilation through the torture and isolation system on Imrali has been going on for 22 years."

The conspiracy is directed against the democratic solution of the Kurdish question

It is known that the international conspiracy was directed against Abdullah Öcalan's attitude of leaving for Europe and solving the Kurdish question through democratic politics. Therefore, the international conspiracy is an attack on freedom and democracy and on the solution of the Kurdish question. They wanted the Kurdish question to remain unresolved and the conflicts of interests and struggles to continue. The will of the free Kurds and their existence was meant to be destroyed.

It is also known that the international conspiracy was planned and carried out by the US government at that time and the state systems, especially Greece, Russia, Kenya and Egypt up to Kurdish collaborators, cooperated in it. For 22 years, the Imrali system of isolation torture has been maintained by the same forces, especially the US and Turkey. In this sense, the US and the forces of the system of capitalist modernization are the ones who want to destroy the existence of free Kurds and thus provide the greatest support to the genocidal state of Turkey. In this way, the US, among others, becomes direct accomplices in the genocide of the Kurdish people.

22 years of the conspiracy are 22 years of even more oppression

It is obvious, on the one hand, that the forces involved are guilty of a crime against humanity and, on the other hand, that they have not succeeded so far despite 22 years of duration. All these forces, especially the US, should look at their current situation and pursue a political line that, if possible, will free them from the crime of genocide. They should stop continuing to support the bloodshed through the attacks of AKP/MHP fascism.

The 22 years of the conspiracy were full of even more intense oppression of the workers, women and youth and even more massacres and atrocities. The attacks against the Kurdish people are also directed against all other peoples and especially against the women and the youth. In view of this fact, workers, women and youth in particular should stand up more strongly against the conspiracy and provide even more support for the struggle for freedom that the Kurdish people, Kurdish women and youth are waging.

Conspiracy targets the peoples of Turkey and the Middle East in addition to the Kurdish people

Such an attitude must be developed not only in Turkey, but throughout the Middle East. This is because the international conspiracy is targeting the peoples of Turkey and the Middle East in addition to the Kurdish people. Within the framework of the Third World War, they are to be driven into even deeper contradictions and conflicts and further weakened by fascist repression, terror and exploitation. The fate of the Kurdish people is intertwined with the fate of Turkey and the peoples of the Middle East. Therefore, everyone should stand against the international conspiracy and join the historic resistance of the Kurdish people.

Our movement and our people are fighting against the torture system in Imrali

Rêber Apo has developed the 'theory of democratic modernity' on the basis of his historically extremely significant paradigm shift under the conditions on Imrali and thus experienced his, as he himself says, 'third birth'. On this basis, he has become a signpost that has transcended national and class boundaries and illuminated the way to the liberation of all the oppressed, of women and youth, and of oppressed peoples. There is probably no greater and more meaningful achievement. Therefore, it is important to be proud of it and to understand this lineage correctly and apply it successfully.

Our freedom movement has united around Rêber Apo for the past 22 years and waged a courageous struggle against the torture system on Imrali. This historic freedom struggle was led by our brave guerrilla forces, our women's movements and our youth movements. Especially in Turkey, but also in many other countries around the world, our friends, the democratic and revolutionary forces, have made very valuable contributions. This struggle, which has been going on for 22 years, has achieved great successes through the tens of thousands of martyrs who advanced on the line of the 'You will not darken our sun' campaign. The Kurdish people have won and defended the greatest achievements of their history in resistance. On this basis, the revolution of democratic modernity developed in all parts of Kurdistan under the leadership of women. The status of South Kurdistan was defended and a revolution took place in Rojava. Our party has renewed and restructured itself in the spirit of democratic modernity, and the organization of our people within the system of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) has developed.

Campaign in all four parts of Kurdistan and worldwide

The 23rd year of struggle against the conspiracy is started on the basis of such great achievements at all levels. The actions within our resistance campaign 'Stop isolation, fascism and occupation - Time for freedom' are taking place in all four parts of Kurdistan and all over the world. They aim at the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. The devastating blows of our brave guerrillas against the enemy continue. As always, the great prison resistance is making the most important contribution to our 'Time for Freedom' campaign. The actions of women, youth and the democratic forces are constantly increasing and expanding. Especially the goals of the anti-fascist revolutionary democratic forces of the world, the women and youth organizations and the workers’ movements are intertwined with the demand for the 'physical freedom of Rêber Apo', and these movements stand behind the freedom demand. As the Mandela of this time, Rêber Apo's physical freedom will surely be realized soon.

Apo will attain freedom

On this basis we begin the 23rd year of the conspiracy. It is clear that our actions in all areas will develop further this year, the conspiracy will be completely defeated, the isolation and torture system of Imrali will be destroyed and Rêber Apo will gain his physical freedom. Thus, Kurdistan will be free and Turkey and the Middle East will be democratized.

On this basis, we salute Rêber Apo again, remember our heroic martyrs with respect and gratitude and call on all people and friends, especially women and youth, to carry out their resistance actions against the international conspiracy of February 15 even more intensively and effectively in all fields!

Gare invasion based on collusion with Hewlêr and Baghdad

According to our latest information, on February 10, the Turkish fascist army launched an all-out air and ground attack on the Gare region in the Medya Defense Zones. Although we do not have concrete and detailed information yet, the attack does not come as a surprise. After all, Turkish War Minister Hulusi Akar and Chief of General Staff Yaşar Güler recently visited Baghdad and Hewlêr and planned the attack together with the Iraqi government and the KDP leadership. Obviously, the current attack is based on such collusion. Because it is not possible for the Turkish army to attack the Gare region, which is more than 70 kilometers away from the Turkish border, without having received the approval and support of the Iraqi as well as the KDP administration.

Rise up against the conspiracy and attacks

It is not a coincidence that this attack takes place before the 22nd anniversary of the international conspiracy. In this way, the Turkish government wants to deal a blow to the PKK and the guerrillas and extend their territory far into South Kurdistan. However, they should not forget the results of the Zap operation in February 2008 and the operation in Heftanin, which they have been trying to implement since June 2020. Just as in Zap and in Heftanin, our brave guerrilla forces are fighting the invasion in Gare and inflicting blow after blow on the enemy. The people of South Kurdistan, especially the people of Amadiya, will rise up en masse against the invasion of Gare, just as they stood up against the invasion in Zap and Heftanin. The Turkish army should know that the area of Gare will be a grave for the fascist troops and their servants.

We call on the Kurdish youth and women around the world and all our friends to stand against the invasion, take to the streets and support the historic resistance of our heroic guerrilla forces by fighting against the Turkish invasion everywhere."