First-ever Freedom for Öcalan Campaign online rally on 16 July

The Freedom for Öcalan Campaign is organising for July 16th the first-ever online rally.

The Freedom for Ocalan campaign is organising an online rally on the evening of July 16th.

The UK trade union movement and the international community are renewing the call for Öcalan’s freedom under the slogan "Yesterday Mandela, today Öcalan. The time has come!"

Presenting the online rally, the organisers said: "We believe the freedom for Öcalan is the key to a lasting and just peace for the Kurds in Turkey and beyond.

The trade union movement was at the forefront of the campaign to free Mandela. Now, the time has come for us to lead the call to free Öcalan."

Last year the campaign played a crucial role in significant events for the UK trade union movement such as the Durham Miners Gala, TUC Congress and the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival.

The organisers recalled: "It was our first time at Tolpuddle, and we mobilised hundreds of Kurdish activists from across Europe who were welcomed with open arms by the festival’s attendees."

The central objectives of the campaign are: 

The immediate release of Abdullah Öcalan and all Kurdish political prisoners.

To lobby for peace in the region and a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish Question.

To promote Kurdish civil society in the interests of democratic rights and social justice.

This year, the restrictions on large physical gatherings have had a considerable impact on the ability to campaign. Which is why the campaign has organised for July 16th at 7 pm (UK time) the first-ever online rally.

As well as messages from the UK and international trade unions, Kurdish and UK politicians and many other active supporters, there will also be a speech by chairs Labour peer and former general secretary of the NUT Christine Blower and Unite’s international director Simon Dubbins, Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP and TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes.