Since 25 June 2012, groups from all over Europe have been taking turns to hold a weekly vigil in front of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) in Strasbourg for the physical freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. There has been no contact with Abdullah Öcalan and his three fellow prisoners, Hamili Yıldırım, Ömer Hayri Konar and Veysi Aktaş on Imrali Prison Island in the Turkish Sea of Marmara since March 2021.

A group of activists from Charleroi, Belgium took over the vigil on its 594th week today. The group includes Kerem Aşkan, Mutat Karasu, Yusuf Demir, Ferhat Uzman and Sedat Aydın.

Speaking on behalf of the new group, Kerem Aşkan denounced the aggravated isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan, who has not been heard from for 32 months now because of an arbitrary ban on visits from his family members and lawyers.

Aşkan called on the European institutions to take action for the Kurdish leader, and urged the Kurdish people to take to the streets in protest at the isolation of Öcalan.