This weekend, activities will take place in Europe, Canada and Australia to mark the anniversary of Abdullah Öcalan's abduction to Turkey on February 15, 1999. The Kurdish European Association KCDK-E has published an action plan.

The statement says: "22 years ago, an international conspiracy took place against Rêber Apo [Leader Abdullah Öcalan] in order to destroy the Kurdish liberation struggle and its leadership. Rêber Apo has been isolated in the Imrali torture system for 22 years by this conspiracy. The attack of the colonialist Turkish state on Gare shows that the plot continues in an updated form. In order to perpetrate Kurdish genocide, AKP/MHP fascism uses dirty methods and relies on the support of collaborators. It is encouraged in this by the silence of international institutions and powers."

The KCDK-E holds the international forces involved in Öcalan's abduction partly responsible for the installation of the Imrali system and the Council of Europe with its anti-torture committee CPT for maintaining the isolation on the prison island.

"Kurds have been appealing to the CPT and the Council of Europe for 22 years, demanding that these institutions fulfill their international obligations and abide by universal legal standards. However, they continue to play the three monkeys, trampling legal standards and values of humanity. The CPT, as a body of the Council of Europe, has stated in a report published in August 2020 that an unacceptable torture system exists on Imrali. Despite this, sanctions in line with universal law do not take place."

Remarking that the Council of Europe and the CPT were thus complicit in Turkey's dirty politics, KCDK-E continued, "Abdullah Öcalan is the most important actor for a solution in Kurdistan and a democratization of Turkey. The fact that he has been isolated on Imrali for 22 years is unacceptable in human and ethical terms and according to international legal norms. He must be allowed to play a role under free conditions to stop the war and conflicts in Kurdistan and the entire region."

The KCDK-E drew attention to the international campaign "The time has come - Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan", which is taken up by various organizations and personality worldwide. Within this framework, actions will take place around the world this weekend, including protests against Turkey's military invasion of the guerrilla area of Gare in southern Kurdistan, which started on Wednesday.

The action plan lists the following demonstrations and rallies on February 13, 14 and 15 in Denmark, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, Australia, Belgium, Italy, Cyprus, Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

13 FEBRUARY

DENMARK

Copenhagen: 10 a.m., Marielundvej 46A 2730 Herlev

AUSTRIA

Vienna: 3 p.m., Platz der Menschenrechte (Museumquartier)

Graz: 3 p.m., Herrengasse

Linz: 3 p.m., Martin Luther Church

FRANCE

Paris: 1 p.m., Republique/Chatlet

Marseille: 10 a.m., St. Antiona
Rennes: Nantes - Long March
Strasbourg: 11 a.m., Place de la Republique

NETHERLANDS

The Hague: 2 p.m., Laan van Reagan en Gorbatsjov

UNITED KINGDOM

London: 4 p.m., Manor House Station

CANADA

Toronto: 2 p.m., Finc -Downtown

SWEDEN

Stockholm: 1 p.m., Medborgahlatsen

AUSTRALIA

Sydney: 2 p.m., Town Hall
Melbourne: 5 p.m., outside the Victoria State Library, 328 Swanston Street
Perth: 1 p.m., Murray Street Mall Hall

GERMANY

Düsseldorf: 2 p.m., DGB-Haus

Berlin: 1 p.m., Leopoldplatz

Kassel: 12.45 p.m., Leipzigerstrasse 407

Frankfurt: 2 p.m., main station

Heilbronn: 4 p.m., Kiliansplatz

Freiburg: 1 p.m., Stühlinger Kirchplatz

Nuremberg: 3 p.m., Hallplatz

Saarbrucken: 3 p.m., Europa Galerie

Bremen: 2 p.m., main station

SWITZERLAND

Geneva: 2 p.m., Place des Nations

BELGIUM

Brussels: 2 p.m., Porte de Namur

ITALY

Rome: 11:30 a.m., Viale Manzini 14
Milano: 3 p.m., Piazza Scala
Firenze: 15:30, Piazza del Domo
Palermo: 17:00, Largo Rodrigo Pantaleone 9
Alessandria: 16:00, Piazzaetta della lega
Bologna: 17:00, Piazza Re Enzo
Parma: 16:00, Piazza Garibaldi

CYPRUS

Nicosia: Datca, 8:00-13:00

***

14 FEBRUARY

SWEDEN

Stockholm: Ralambshovsparken, 13.30

ITALY

Milan: 15:30

***

15 FEBRUARY

FRANCE

Bordeaux: 15:00, Place de la bource

ITALY

Lucca: 17:00, Piazza San Michele.