For over a year now, Kurds and people in solidarity have been demanding the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan and a democratic solution to the Kurdish question in front of the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Geneva. The first rally in the framework of the "Time for Freedom" campaign took place on 25 January 2021. Since then, activists have staged a sit-in in front of the UN building every Wednesday to protest against the international silence on the Turkish campaign of destruction in Kurdistan. In addition to the central demand for freedom for the Kurdish leader and PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan, various current issues have been brought up at the vigil over the course of the year. The UN is urged to act against the war crimes of the Turkish army and to investigate the use of chemical weapons.

Today's rally, which marks the beginning of the 14th month of action, was opened with a minute's silence in memory of all martyrs of the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle in the person of communist fighter Baran Serhat who fell as result of attacks by the Turkish army and allied mercenaries on Serekaniye on 23 March 2019.

Turning their backs on the UN headquarters, the activists protested the silence of the United Nations, which has long turned a deaf ear to the demands of the Kurdish people.

Speaking here, Salih Sağlam, the co-chair of the Democratic Kurdish Community Center (CDK) in Geneva, drew attention to this year’s huge celebrations marking the Kurdish New Year, Newroz.

Sağlam stated, “The Newroz of the 50th year of struggle proves the Kurdish people’s commitment to their leader. We will endorse this will in response to the conspiratorial forces and their collaborators that ignore the will of millions, and we will continue to say Bijî Serok Apo” (Long live Öcalan) “Bijî gerîla” (Long live the guerrilla) and “Bijî Kürdistan” (Long live Kurdistan).”