The Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Vigil was launched on 25 June 2012 in Strasbourg, with the aim of demanding the physical freedom of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and breaking the absolute isolation imposed on him. The vigil continues in its 580th week and has been taken over by activists Hüseyin Bayat, Sedat Çetin, Serkan Menteşe, Sidar Çetin and Deniz Kırıktaş from Rennes and Nantes.

A statement by the group said: “The leader of the Kurdish freedom movement has been held in prison for 24 years and subjected to aggravated isolation.”

Noting that the freedom vigil in Strasbourg has been going on for 12 years, the activists called on the Kurdish people to provide further support for the struggle and stand up for political prisoners.