The Congress of Democratic Societies of Kurdistan in Europe (KCDK-E) made a written statement on the occasion of the anniversary of the International 9 October Conspiracy, which led to Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s forced departure from Syria in 1998. Expelled from Syria, Abdullah Öcalan decided to make his way to Europe rather than to the PKK's strongholds in the Kurdish mountains of Northern Iraq or North-Western Iran. As all European countries refused to grant him leave or entry, the Kurdish leader was finally flown to the Greek Embassy at Nairobi, Kenya via Moscow, Athens and Corfu, in what became increasingly obvious as a deliberate consipracy to maneuvre him into a position where he could be handed over to the Turkish authorities as soon as safeguards of European law were effectively by-passed. On 15 February 1999, the Kurdish leader was arrested in Kenya and handed over to Turkey, where he has since been subjected to unlawful treatment in violation of international law. 9 October thus marks the beginning of what the Kurds call “the international conspiracy”.

The KCDK-E statement released on Tuesday includes the following:

“As the anniversary of the International Conspiracy approaches, we are going through an extremely critical process in Turkey, Kurdistan and the Middle East. The genocidal Turkish state continues its occupation and massacres. Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan), who is kept in Imrali prison, where national and international law is ignored, has been subjected to the absolute isolation system that has been maintained uninterruptedly for 26 years. For 44 months, there has been no news from him in any way.

Leader Apo came to Europe 26 years ago in order for the concepts of freedom and equality, which are the basic values of humanity, to come to life for Kurds and to solve the Kurdish question through dialogue. The European countries, which advocate democratic values, did not allow the Kurdish People's Leader to stay there to solve the Kurdish question through dialogue and they sacrificed international law and human values to dirty political interests.

It has been exactly 26 years since Leader Apo was kidnapped by an international conspiracy led by the US and taken to the dungeon in İmralı Island in Turkey. For 26 years, our leader has been kept in solitary confinement in a solitary cell on the island of İmralı under severe isolation and the system of torture has been maintained in violation of any rule of international law.

It is clear from the statements of Massimo D'Alema, the former Prime Minister of Italy at the time, that the US is the architect and implementer of the international conspiracy. D'Alema's remark that US President Bill Clinton called him and said ‘Give Öcalan to Turkey’ was covered by the press on 7 October 2024. Therefore, all attacks against Leader Apo and the Kurdish people are supported by the US.

The fascist Turkish state has created a special torture system in İmralı. There is no right and law in this system. Within the framework of the Kurdish genocide and liquidation plan, Leader Apo is kept under aggravated isolation and isolation.

The international conspiracy continues by turning it into international isolation. Those responsible for the isolation of Leader Apo, those who carried out the international conspiracy are the US, the Council of Europe and the CPT. Encouraged by the silence of the Council of Europe, CPT, international institutions and powers, the AKP-MHP fascist alliance has turned the isolation in İmralı into a model that is now applied to all prisons and society.

Leader Apo's resistance in İmralı, the paradigm he developed and his ideology of women's liberation have spread to the world and become universal. Today, women and peoples all over the world are seeking their rights with the slogan ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadi’ (Woman, Life, Freedom). Leader Apo presented the Kurdistan freedom struggle at the international level. He built a Democratic Confederal system in which not only Kurds but also all other ethnic and religious groups living in the region can freely participate.

Launched in 2023 on an international scale, the campaign ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’ has come to life in dozens of countries today. Thousands of friends, unions, institutions and organisations have mobilized for the campaign. Within the scope of the campaign launched worldwide on 10 October 2023, the demand for physical freedom of Leader Apo has become universal.

It is known that the only solution to stop the war impasse in the Middle East and the genocidal occupation of the Turkish state is the freedom of the Leader of Peoples, Leader Apo. With Leader Apo's idea of democratic nation, it is possible for wars to end and peace to come to geographies.

In light of this historical fact, the physical freedom of Leader Apo is of vital importance for the survival and liberation of the Kurdish people.

Millions of Kurds recognise Leader Apo as their leader. Just as Mandela was the key to dialogue and an honourable solution to the South African issue, Abdullah Öcalan is the key to a democratic, peaceful solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey. Leader Apo represents the Kurdish people's struggle for democracy and freedom.

As we enter the 26th year of the international conspiracy, we call on our people, friends and humanity to embrace Leader Apo and to spread the international campaign, which will enter its 2nd year on 10 October, to the whole world.”