The PKK Executive Committee issued a statement to thank the international trade unions who signed a declaration calling for freedom for Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

The statement said: "We attach great importance to the recent actions, events and calls around the world demanding freedom for Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] at the meeting held in Brazil by the International Trade Union Solidarity and Struggle Network, on 10-11-12 September.”

The statement added: "We salute and express our gratitude to the Brazilian Revolutionary Socialist Movement, which is a member of the Revolutionary Reconvening Committee, and all the friends who contributed to this valuable call."

The PKK continued: "This call has proven once again that Leader Apo's democratic, ecological and women-based paradigm has become universal and is being supported more and more. It has been demonstrated that the absolute isolation to which he was subjected to reduce his hope and determination is totally unacceptable.

As the Kurdish Freedom Movement, we are carrying out a huge social struggle to end this absolute isolation, which does not fit into any international norms, morals, values and legal procedures. Therefore, we find the support given by the labor unions in San Paulo very valuable against this policy of silencing and isolation implemented against all progressive humanity, especially the Kurdish people, in the person of Leader Apo, and we wish for such calls to increase.”

The statement continued: “We would also like to thank the friends who organized meetings and solidarity concerts in many countries around the world to promote Leader Apo's paradigm. We sincerely thank our friends who organized the most recent events for young people, the promotional seminars of Leader Apo's paradigm held in Milan, Brescia, Alessandria, Salerno, Naples, Rome and Pisa in Italy with the participation of hundreds of people, and the Time for Hope concerts attended by thousands of people.”

The PKK said: “We have never lost the hope that Leader Apo's paradigm will be welcomed with great enthusiasm and determination to fight, especially by our people and all over the world, and that it will grow and develop until his physical freedom is achieved. On this basis, we state to our people and our friends that we stand by their struggle, and we greet them with respect and love.”