A vigil by the Democratic Kurdish Community in Switzerland has been taking place in front of the UN headquarters in Geneva since 25 January 2021. Every Wednesday, activists stage a protest in front of the United Nations building to demand the release of Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan. The action is carried out as part of the 'Dem dema azadiye' [Time for Freedom] campaign and directed against the isolation of the Kurdish leader on the Turkish prison island of Imrali, the Turkish occupation attacks on Kurdistan, the massacres committed in Kurdish territories and the silence of the UN.

This week's demonstration, which is held at a tent set up in Nation Square where the UN Office is located, started with a minute of silence in memory of the Kurdistan Freedom Martyrs, followed by a speech by Ramazan Kızılkurt from the Action Committee.

Kızılkurt drew attention to the situation of Abdullah Öcalan, who is held under conditions of absolute isolation in İmralı High Security Prison, and said the following:

"As Kurdistanis living in Geneva, we are calling on international organisations to ensure the freedom of Leader Öcalan through a sit-in protest ongoing for 41 months. The deepened isolation of Leader Öcalan in Imrali has been going on for 40 months. Our leader has not been allowed to meet with his family or lawyers, and international organisations do not fulfil their duties and prefer to remain silent. International organisations, especially the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), the UN and the Council of Europe (CoE), bear responsibility to take action against the system of isolation and torture that goes against human rights."

Ramazan Kızılkurt stated that the Kurdish people will continue to be in action until the isolation is ended and Abdullah Öcalan is freed.

After the speeches, a press statement was read. The demonstration ended with slogans.