Abdullah Öcalan has been held in a solitary cell in the island prison of İmralı since 15 February 1999. For the first ten years, he was the only prisoner. Six further prisoners were brought there in 2009, but he continued to be held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day on weekdays and 24 hours on weekends. There are currently three prisoners besides Mr Öcalan on the Island. These three men have been there since 2015, and are similarly isolated.

On 8 February a conference will take place in Bilbao to discuss the situation of Öcalan as well as the solidarity work done in the Basque Country with and for the Kurdish people.

The conference will be at the UPV/EHU Paraninfoa-Oteiza aretoa and will count with the participation of Ibrahim Bilmez, one of Öcalan’s lawyers, Pernando Barrena, MEP for EH Bildu, Koldo Sanchez from Lab trade union, a representative of the Kurdistan National Congress as well as representatives of other trade unions and activists from the solidarity Basque groups.

Last year, to mark the 24th years of the imprisonment of Öcalan, six Basque trade unions, LAB, ELA, CCOO, ESK, UGT and Steilas launched a manifesto demanding freedom for Abdullah Ocalan on the 24th anniversary of his capture in Kenya. 

In the manifesto, the Basque trade unions said: "Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has been imprisoned for 24 years, in extreme conditions, in total isolation and with restrictions on his communication with the outside world. In 2006-2007, 3.5 million Kurds signed a petition stating that they consider him their political representative. As the only leader who enjoys the trust of the Kurdish people, and as the forefather of this peaceful solution, Öcalan is an indispensable part of resolving the Kurdish conflict."