Since 25 June 2012, groups from all over Europe have been taking turns to hold vigil in front of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) in Strasbourg, demanding an end to the isolation and physical freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. The action, which has continued for 590 weeks, sets a worldwide record for continuous protest. This week, a group from Munich took over the vigil. The group includes activists Kemal Ekinci, Nurettin Inci, Cihan Ekinci, Tuncay Zengin and Nurettin Kazan.

The action is particularly topical in view of the ongoing worldwide campaign "Freedom for Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question" and the fact that there has been no sign of life from the prison island of Imrali for over two and a half years. The CPT is in a position to control Öcalan's situation and to take action against this forbidden incommunicado detention. So far, the CPT's engagement in this sense has been half-hearted at best. The CPT report from the last visit to Imrali in 2022 has not been published to date.

In a statement on behalf of the group, Kemal Ekinci called on the Kurdish youth to stand up for their leader and tear down the AKP-MHP fascism.