The Freedom for Öcalan Vigil launched by the Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Initiative on 25 June 2012 in Strasbourg, to demand freedom of the Kurdish People's Leader and an end to the isolation imposed on him, continues with a new group of activists.

The vigil is taking place in front of the CPT because the committee has a central function in controlling prison conditions on Imrali and only performs this to a very limited extent. For almost three years there has been no sign of life from Öcalan, who has been imprisoned in Imrali since 1999.

Four patriots from Strasbourg, Piro Kızıl, Suzan Tarhan, Cemil Yürek and İsmail Güneş, took over the vigil in its 607th week.

Group spokesperson Piro Kızıl stated that “It is a matter of honour for the Kurdish people to stand up for their leader and future to achieve freedom.”

Appealing to the Kurdish people and youths, Kızıl said: “To stand up for the leader is the future of a people whose existence is denied. We call on the Kurdish people and youths to unite around the leader, to spread his struggle and ideas everywhere and to raise our values in all areas.”