On 10 October 2023, some 74 press conferences will be held around the world to mark the beginning of a new international campaign “Freedom for Öcalan, A Political Solution for Kurdistan”.

The main press conferences will be in front of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Paris, Vienna, Brussels and Berlin.

The central focus of the new international campaign is to bring about the release of Öcalan as a prerequisite to the beginning of a new peace process in Turkey and the wider region. However, the most pressing immediate demand is to bring an end to the total isolation that Öcalan has been subject to for almost three years.

“In blatant violation of Turkish and international law, Mr. Öcalan has had no contact whatsoever with the outside world. His last meeting with his lawyers occurred in August 2019, and his last contact with the outside world—a short phone call with his brother—occurred in March 2021. His family and friends, lawyers, and millions of Kurds, have grave fears for his safety and well-being. It is extremely urgent that we build international pressure to end this appalling isolation and we urge you to support this press conference and the launch of the new international campaign,” say the organizers of the campaign.

The campaign will bring together elected officials, local governments, parties and movements, unions, civil society organizations, intellectuals, and others, to demand that Öcalan be allowed to meet with his lawyers and family, and, ultimately, that he be freed under conditions that allow him to play a role in finding a just and democratic political solution to Turkey’s decades-old Kurdish conflict.