The Libertarian Youth Organisation of Catalonia (BATZAC), known for its anti-capitalist anarchist structure, actively working in Catalonia, made a call to its entire organisational structure regarding the second phase of the ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, peaceful solution to the Kurdish question’ campaign that was launched globally on 10 October 2023.

BATZAC, in its call on its social media accounts, stated that they support and participate in the international campaign.

Expressing their reaction to the imprisonment of the Kurdistan freedom movement’s leader in the hands of the Turkish State for 25 years, BATZAC noted that the conditions of Abdullah Öcalan's captivity are unsustainable.

Remarking that the silence of the international authorities against the Turkish state reveals their complicity in this crime, BATZAC said: “Abdullah Öcalan, sentenced to life imprisonment in İmralı Prison, is under absolute isolation, another form of torture.  He cannot communicate with his lawyers, cannot meet with his relatives, friends and comrades and has not shown any signs of life for three years.”

Referring to the Democratic Confederalism paradigm that came to life in Rojava, the statement continued: “Examples such as the Rojava revolution in northern Syria reveal the power of the Kurdish people and their belief in Democratic Confederalism, an anti-state, decentralised, anti-capitalist and anti-patriarchal model proposed by Abdullah Öcalan.  Therefore, his imprisonment means the will to trap the oppositional ideology of an entire people. When Abdullah Öcalan is free to participate in the political process to solve the Kurdish question and to continue to develop his ideas, the result can be more freedom and peace for all of us.”

Appealing to all its organisational structure and activists, BATZAC stated: “As young anarchists, we embrace the emancipatory proposals for Kurdish self-government and reject the deprivation of freedom for all those who fight and resist.  We therefore join the campaign demanding the release of the Kurdish leader and invite our comrades in our lands to actively solidarise with Kurdistan and the campaign from 1 to 10 October.”

BATZAC, whose original name is Batzac-Joventuts Llibertaries, is an anti-capitalist and anarchist youth organisation operating in Catalonia. BATZAC has an effective organisational structure and is active in solidarity with the Kurdish people, feminist movements and anti-fascist campaigns.