The Freedom for Öcalan Vigil, which was launched in Strasbourg on June 25, 2012, with the aim of achieving the physical freedom of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and ending the İmralı torture system, continues with determination.

The vigil is held in Strasbourg, where institutions like the Council of Europe, the CPT (Committee for the Prevention of Torture), and the European Court of Human Rights and the European Parliament are located.

The action, which is carried out every week in front of the Council of Europe by groups of Kurds living in Europe and their friends, entered its 14th year last month.

The vigil also aims to promote Abdullah Öcalan's ideas, raise awareness of the Kurdish people's struggle, and build public pressure on international institutions to take responsibility.

In its 682nd week, the vigil was taken over by women activists running the “Women Defend Rojava” campaign in Germany.

The group includes Nele Möhlmann, Petra Onnen, Rebecca Alpers, and Lilli Gruber. Inspired by the ideas of Abdullah Öcalan, the activists delivered powerful messages about both the Kurdish leader’s freedom and the role of women in social transformation.
‘We have read his writings and discussed them extensively’

Lilli Gruber expressed the change that Öcalan’s ideas have brought about in their lives with the following words: "We are here for freedom. Some things may be missing, but we are here as women activists because the common struggle is very important to us. We came here on a bus organized for solidarity and took over the vigil for a week because we want to contribute to the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.”

Lilli Gruber stated that women in Europe were greatly influenced by Öcalan’s ideas, emphasizing that his analysis of the role of women in society was transformative for them: “As women from Germany, Abdullah Öcalan plays a significant role for us. We have read his writings, discussed them extensively with our Kurdish women friends, and seen that, in his thinking, the role of women occupies a central place. This is extremely important for us in building a free and just society. We do not know of any other man who has fought as consistently and deeply for women's rights as he has—and he continues this struggle to this day."

‘Freedom for Mehmet Çakas, Maja and all political prisoners’

Petra Onnen drew attention to both Abdullah Öcalan and political prisoners in Europe. She brought up the case of Mehmet Çakas, whom Germany is trying to extradite to Turkey before he has served his sentence, stating: “We are particularly concerned about the situation of Mehmet Çakas at the moment. The federal prosecutor's attempt to deport him to Turkey by declaring his sentence to have been prematurely terminated in violation of applicable laws is a major scandal. The German state is clearly acting in violation of the law, as Mehmet Çakas cannot expect a fair trial in Turkey on charges of PKK membership."

Petra Onnen also recalled that anti-fascist activist Maja T. (extradited from Germany in 2024) has been on hunger strike for over a month in inhumane conditions in Hungary. Stating that Germany is violating human rights with such political extraditions, Onnen continued: “We call on all people to expose this hypocrisy and to fight for human dignity, justice, and peace. Freedom for Mehmet Çakas! Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan! Freedom for Maja and all political prisoners! And peace in Kurdistan!”

'Öcalan's paradigm can save us from the ongoing wars'

Another member of the group, Rebecca Alpers, drew attention to the global war environment and said that Abdullah Öcalan’s ideas offer an alternative for all the peoples of the world: "We are currently in the Third World War. We see this in Gaza, Iran, Syria, and Turkey's attacks. But there is also hope. Abdullah Öcalan’s idea of Democratic Confederalism and the paradigm of Democratic Modernity are what can save us from these wars.”

Rebecca Alpers stated that Öcalan’s paradigm is not only a way out for the Kurdish people, but also for the peoples of the world, and made the following call: “We are all needed to achieve this. We need to stand up and carry these ideas in our hearts. Women and young people are, of course, leading this change. That is why we call on women and young people all over the world to join this resistance for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. Only together can we free him and save the world from oppression.”