Hatip Dicle told activists in Rome: Öcalan is the Kurdish Mandela

The march was promoted by Rete Kurdistan Italia and UIKI and counted with the support of some 50 organisations, groups, civil society associations, as well as Italian biggest trade union CGIL, former mayor of Riace Mimmo Lucano, mayors of Palermo, Naples.

A few thousand people marched and rallied in Rome on Saturday to demand the end of isolation against Abdullah Öcalan and mark the 20th anniversary of his abduction.

The march was promoted by Rete Kurdistan Italia and UIKI and counted with the support of some 50 organisations, groups, civil society associations, as well as Italian biggest trade union CGIL, former mayor of Riace Mimmo Lucano, and mayors of Palermo and Naples.

Kurdish politician Hatip Dicle spoke at the rally. He condemned the isolation imposed on the Kurdish people and Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Mr. Abdullah Öcalan who is the architect of the Rojava revolution were the Mandela of the Kurdish people.

The capitalist modernity system, said Dicle, captured leader Öcalan as a result of an international conspiracy.

Imrali, he added, revealed the system of isolation and torture.

“We have admired the European peoples who after two world wars have learned the lessons and locked under constitutional guarantees democracy, federalism, the rule of law and liberties. Unfortunately though today European democracy is under great and serious threat because of racist fascist sprouts and authoritarian management tendencies in various countries.

It is now the time for all European democrats, socialists to stand united and in solidarity with the democratic forces led by the Kurds in the Middle East.”