Support for the European Freedom and Peace Platform’s (EFFP) 'I want to visit Abdullah Öcalan' campaign is growing rapidly, and the number of people expressing their wish to go to Imralı is expected to rise significantly. The Left Group in the European Parliament (EP), the Party of the European Left, the Progressive International, and ARCI, the umbrella organization of 5,000 cultural centers in Italy, have all declared their support for the campaign.

Dr. Latife Akyüz from the EFFP Coordination and politician Tuncay Yılmaz spoke to the newspaper Yeni Özgür Politika.

Peace Academic Dr. Latife Akyüz described Mr. Öcalan’s call as a historic and critical intervention. She stated that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has taken the necessary steps, but the state has not yet made a move that inspires hope. Akyüz explained why such a campaign is needed: “This is a different process than previous peace efforts. It is still unclear how to define it. For this process to continue, people who believe in peace, democracy, and justice must support it. This includes those who study the issue and those who are active in civil society.” She emphasized that exiled intellectuals and academics also see the need to mobilize international public opinion. According to her, international awareness and pressure are essential for the state to take action. She said, “This campaign aims to make that happen.”

Not under free conditions

Latife Akyüz reminded that the person who made the call is the Kurdish people's leader, Mr. Öcalan. She stated, “Mr. Öcalan is not in free conditions where he can explain why he made this call or share the perspective behind it. Without ensuring his freedom, it is not possible for this process to progress in a healthy and meaningful way. That is why we must create public awareness about this issue.”

Appeal to the international community

Latife Akyüz emphasized that Mr. Öcalan’s call has been embraced, especially by the international community. She said, “For the state to respond to this call and for the process to evolve into a real and lasting peace, Mr. Öcalan must be able to freely share his ideas with the public.” She underlined that the campaign is primarily aimed at the international community and said: “Our goal is to reach everyone who believes in peace, who writes and speaks about it with sincerity and conviction. There are many intellectuals who want to visit Mr. Öcalan, and our main goal is to organize these people. This is the only way for the process to move forward in a healthy and meaningful way.” Akyüz added, “The Kurdish people recognize Mr. Öcalan as the chief negotiator. He is the person international powers know they must engage with. Expecting this process to function under conditions of isolation, or for the state to wait for that, is simply unacceptable.”

We want to engage in open dialogue

Latife Akyüz drew attention to criticisms about the lack of transparency in the current process. She said, “There are concerns like, ‘We are not getting accurate information,’ and ‘We do not know what is being discussed behind closed doors.’ But in reality, it is the state that creates this lack of transparency. The person with whom the talks are being held, Mr. Öcalan, is kept in isolation. He is given no conditions where he can speak freely.” Akyüz continued: “Personally, I want to hear what Mr. Öcalan thinks about this process. I want to speak with him, ask questions, and understand his perspective. We want to meet with Mr. Öcalan. We want to learn from him, to discuss his ideas. Even those who disagree with him should have the opportunity to ask questions in an open environment. Without that, this process cannot move forward. Otherwise, it will continue based on speculation.”

Let us strengthen the perspective for peace

Politician Tuncay Yılmaz reminded that the Kurdish people's leader, Mr. Öcalan, has been imprisoned for 26 years and held under absolute isolation for the past five years. “The moment he is allowed to speak,” he said, “he can open the door to a hopeful process for the Kurdish people, for other peoples in Turkey, and for the peoples of the Middle East. His perspective has that kind of potential and inclusiveness.” Yılmaz emphasized that Mr. Öcalan’s conditions must be changed in a way that allows him to actively participate in the process. “If this process is to reach a positive conclusion and avoid sabotage,” he said, “it is essential that Mr. Öcalan is placed in conditions that enable his direct involvement.”

We must speak with the one who made the call

Yılmaz continued: “As members of the diaspora who stand for democracy and peace, we aim to break the isolation that the state has constructed under the label of ‘inaccessible, untouchable, unapproachable.’ We are doing this through this campaign. For instance, there is now a 25-page document that recently came to light. It is said that the full perspective is actually broader than what we’ve seen. We want to discuss it with the person who wrote it, Mr. Öcalan himself. Personally, there are parts of the text I agree with and parts I disagree with. I want to debate these points directly with Mr. Öcalan.”

The campaign will continue to grow

Tuncay Yılmaz stated that since the campaign was first announced, strong support has come from numerous labor, peace, and democracy movements across Europe, as well as from leftist and socialist groups. Yılmaz said, “The Left Group in the European Parliament and the Party of the European Left have agreed to become official components of the campaign. The Progressive International, which brings together leftist, socialist, democratic, environmental, human rights movements, parties, unions, and social organizations from across the globe, has also declared its support, along with ARCI, the National Association of Social and Cultural Centers in Italy representing 5,000 cultural centers, and groups from South Africa. The Progressive International is calling on its members, from Latin America to South Asia, to embrace this campaign. A trade union from the United Kingdom (UK), the Kurdish Working Group in the European Parliament, and various left-wing and socialist parties have also expressed their intention to join. We are receiving responses from different parts of the world saying, ‘We are evaluating it and will get back to you.’ As these partnerships are formalized, we will share them with the public.”

Applications will increase

Tuncay Yılmaz emphasized that the paradigm of Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan, one that can lead the country and the region toward peace, must be openly discussed under free conditions. He stated: “Not everyone who supports the ‘I want to meet with Öcalan’ campaign can travel to Turkey and visit him. Legally, this is not possible. But we are demanding that the gates of Imralı be opened, that international participation in the process be enabled, and that the isolation and siege be broken.” He noted that there will be individuals who wish to contact embassies, the Ministry of Justice, and regional prosecutors in order to support the campaign and said, “Journalists from the international press are curious about Öcalan’s perspective and his proposed path to resolution. Mr. Öcalan holds a powerful vision that can shift the ground from war and conflict to peace and democracy. People want to meet with this will, to understand his ideas and perspective. We will do everything we can to open those doors.”

Application contact addresses

For those wishing to submit applications to the Ministry of Justice, the following contact links are available:

https://forumforpeace.eu/visitocalan

https://www.instagram.com/adalet_bakanlik/

https://www.facebook.com/adaletbakanlik

https://x.com/yilmaztunc

https://www.tiktok.com/discover/adalet-bakanlığı

Mail: [email protected]