In Europe, long marches demanding the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan are held every year in February. This year the internationalist march will kick off on 6 February in Geneva, while the Kurdish young people’s one is on 5 February in Heilbronn.

On 11 February there will be a demonstration in Strasbourg. A long march will also be held in Greece. It will start in Lavrio and end in Athens on 15 February, the anniversary of Ocalan's capture, 24 years ago.

For an end to war, isolation and political persecution

Participants from Latin America, Spain, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Scandinavian countries, Belgium and Austria are expected to attend the internationalist march. The activists will arrive in Geneva on 4 February. A bus will be organized from Frankfurt am Main. An internationalist conference will take place in Geneva on 5 February. The participants will then hold a press conference.

The long march will kick off the next day at 9.30am in Neuve Square in Geneva. The slogan this year is “For an end to war, isolation and political persecution – for peace, freedom and democracy!”

The other stations of the march are Lausanne, Bern, Solothurn and Basel, where the march will end on 10 February to allow the participants to attend the demonstration in Strasbourg on 11 February.

Camilo Torres from Colombia is one of the organizers of the internationalist march. He said that the key demand of the march is the end of Abdullah Öcalan's isolation. "There has been no news from him for 22 months. This concerns not only the Kurdish people, but all people fighting for freedom,” Torres told ANF.

The internationalist accused the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) of not fulfilling its task. “With our demonstration we want to make ourselves heard by the European institutions. The public must not remain silent about Abdullah Öcalan's isolation. We will hold an internationalist conference on 5 February. There will be discussions and a cultural program. We would like all the colors of the world to be represented in our conference.”

Torres called on the democratic public to support the long march.

Young people march from Heilbronn to Freiburg

The Kurdish youth movement is calling for people to come to Heilbronn on 4 February. Azad Erîş from the preparatory committee pointed out that there has been no news from Abdullah Öcalan for almost two years. The aim of the young people's march is to demand the release of Öcalan, emphasized the activist, adding: "With our action we want to present the philosophy and paradigm of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan].”

The youth march will start on 5 February in Heilbronn and end on 11 February in Freiburg. The march will pass through Ludwigsburg, Stuttgart, Böblingen, Reutlingen, Tübingen, Offenburg lahr.

Those interested in attending the march can contact the organizers via [email protected].