Yazidi and Arab residents of Shengal (Sinjar) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq staged a demonstration to mark the 25th anniversary of the international conspiracy against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan on 15 February 1999, when he was abducted from Kenya and brought to Turkey.

The march, which took place in the district of Kersê, was followed by statements at the ‘Leader’s Garden’.

Neam İlyas, on behalf of the Association of Martyrs’ Families, stated that they defined 15 February as a black day and said: "15 February is not only a black day, but also a day when all the oppressed and those who demand freedom were intended to be subjected to genocide. Leader Öcalan has been held captive for 25 years for defending the rights of the oppressed. As the people of Shengal, we consider the freedom of Leader Öcalan as our own freedom and condemn the international conspiracy."

Nayif Şemo, Co-Chair of the Democratic Autonomous Assembly of Shengal, said: "We want to pay our debt of loyalty to Leader Öcalan by breaking the isolation. The US and Israeli intelligence delivered him to Turkey with a conspiracy, which represents a black history. We know this history well, but we want this history to be learned by the generations after us. We can ensure the physical freedom of Leader Öcalan by strengthening our unity and solidarity. We believe that the isolation will be broken through the resistance of Shengal’s people."

Speaking on behalf of the Yazidi Women's Freedom Movement (TAJÊ), Dayê Şemê Remo stated that their actions were the biggest response to the enemy who wanted to destroy them and said: "We define 15 February as a black day. The Turkish state alone cannot be held responsible for this conspiracy, which was orchestrated dishonourably by international forces. The conspiracy against Leader Öcalan is not disconnected from the conspiracy against Şêx Seîd. After Şêx Seîd, they wanted the Kurds not to revolt again. They did not want a new leader to be born. The Turkish state executed Şêx Seîd with lies and deceit. With the conspiracy, they wanted to do the same to Leader Öcalan. Leader Öcalan showed that they could imprison him physically, but they could not prevent his ideas from spreading to the world. The physical liberation of Leader Öcalan will be the victory of all oppressed peoples. Likewise, this freedom will also mean the defeat of the Turkish state and international powers."

Speaking on behalf of the Arab Assemblies, Hassan El-Taib condemned the international conspiracy and called for increased struggle to break the isolation and ensure the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.