'Freedom for Öcalan Committee' established in Sweden

A committee has been formed in Sweden for the freedom of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan on the occasion of December 10 Human Rights Day.

A committee has been established in Sweden for the release of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been kept under severe isolation on İmralı Island since 1999.

In a written statement sent to the Swedish media, the committee recalled that Öcalan has been held in severe isolation in İmralı Island for 20 years and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) reported after a visit that he was tortured.

The statement in which similarities between Kurdish People's Leader Öcalan and former ANC leader Nelson Mandela were evoked, emphasized that the books written by Abdullah Öcalan inspired a struggle for democracy, peace and women's liberation.

The statement noted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan put an end to the peace negotiations between the PKK and the Turkish state in 2015, and introduced a pervasive persecution against the Kurds in Turkey, Iraq and Syria, with ever-increasing attacks and massacres. Swedish intellectuals and people were called upon to participate in the campaign launched by the ‘Freedom for Öcalan Committee’, which was established on December 10, 2020, for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan and political prisoners in Turkey.

One of the promoters and chairman of the committee, Benny Gustafsson spoke to ANF about the campaign.

Gustafsson told ANF that they formed a committee that comprises intellectuals, artists, trade unionists and representatives of NGOs. “This campaign continues all over Europe. In Sweden, around 30 intellectuals, trade unionists, religious people, political party representatives have participated in the campaign so far. Among them are members of the Left Party and social democrats," Gustafsson said.

Gustafsson added that the committee will meet with Swedish government officials to debate over the demand to release all prisoners and Abdullah Öcalan in particular.