Kurds in Europe have been in a permanent vigil action outside the Council of Europe since 25 June 2012 to ask the European Council, European Parliament, European Union countries and western countries like the USA to "stop their political, military and economic support to Turkey, for the freedom of the Kurdish Leader Mr Abdullah Öcalan and for the recognition of the Kurdish peoples’ status in all parts of Kurdistan".

The vigil action, which came after the Geneva-Strasbourg Long March in the winter and the 52-day-long hunger strike in Strasbourg in March, witnessed a mass rally on the 500th day on Wednesday.

The rally on the 500th day of the vigil was joined by a large number of politicians including KONGRA GEL co-president Remzi Kartal, KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council member Zübeyir Aydar, KNK co-chair Tahir Kemalizade, PJAK President Heci Ehmedi and representatives of many other movements and organizations.

Speaking here, KNK co-chair Tahir Kemalizade saluted the Rojava revolution and stressed that the Kurdish people should unite and give a struggle for the same purpose in four parts of Kurdistan. Kemalizade remarked that the freedom of the Kurdish people meant the freedom of the Kurdish leader, Abdullah Öcalan, and underlined that Kurds will not give up the struggle until Öcalan attains freedom.

Speking after, KONGRA GEL co-president Remzi Kartal reminded that Öcalan was taken captive and tried as a result of an unfair conspiracy, and remarked that the European Union stood by Turkey in the unfair trial of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) leader.

Kartal added that the ‘Freedom for Öcalan’ vigil manifested Kurds' determination to ensure their leader's liberation.