Rojava's Movement for a Democratic Society (TEV-DEM) issued a written statement on the anniversary of the February 15 conspiracy against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. Below is the full text of TEV-DEM's statement:

“We are at the 18th anniversary of the February 15 international conspiracy that resulted in the captivity of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. Öcalan who is held in aggravated isolation in İmralı prison. This isolation aims to break the will of the Kurdistan people and enslave them. The conspiracy also aims to end the struggle for democracy across the Middle East.

With this conspiracy, it was intended to harm the world's social forces that fight for the values of humanity, social morality and nations' right to self-determination. The conspiracy is a violation of the UN International Law on Political Affairs and Principles that serves for the regulation of foreign affairs across the world. Moreover, this conspiracy differs from all other crimes committed throughout history as it involved representatives of many powers across the world.

However, Leader Apo foiled all the dimensions of this conspiracy with his resistance and rendered it meaningless. With his philosophy and ideas, Leader Apo shook regional and international powers and all the circles bearing a nation-state mentality through the democratic project he provided to the Middle East basing on legitimate resistance.

"DEMOCRACY PROJECT OF THE MIDDLE EAST TARGETED"

As TEV-DEM, we definitely define today as a black day. The conspiracy did not only target Öcalan in person; it targeted every society that fights for freedom, democracy, and the values of humanity. The conspiracy on Öcalan targeted the 'Democracy Project' for the Middle East that has been turned into a field of power struggles instead of co-existence and fraternity of peoples.

As TEV-DEM, we condemn this bad day with all our institutions and parties. We say that the social diplomatic and all other ways of struggle to ensure the removal of the isolation on Öcalan and his freedom are a moral, humane and political duty of our people and everyone else.

"ÖCALAN'S FREEDOM WILL BRING LASTING PEACE"

We state once again that the society of Kurdistan, democracy forces, NGOs, all global and regional legislative bodies should increase their support for the physical freedom of Öcalan and play their roles to this end because Öcalan's freedom will bring lasting peace and freedom for the peoples of the region. It will realize the hopes and dreams of the region's societies."