The Joint Diplomacy Committee of Kurdish and Syriac Parties and Institutions sent an open letter to EU officials calling for action to enable an urgent meeting with Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

The letter and urgent appeal addresses to Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy /Vice-President of the European Commission; Hahn Johannes, European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations; Juncker Jean-Claude, President of the European Commission; Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament; Stylianides Christos, European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response; and Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The letter is signed by Adem Uzun, KNK Chair of Foreign Relations Committee, on behalf of the Joint Diplomacy Committee of Kurdish and Syriac Parties and Institutions.

The letter reads;

“As you are well aware, the unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey on the 15 th of July, 2016. Even at this early stage it is clear that this coup attempt will have significant reverberations. When President Tayyip Erdoğan took a decision to intensify the war on the Kurds and destroy Kurdish towns and cities a year ago, he also moved to suppress Kurdish civil society. The immunities of MPs were removed and Co-Mayors were being imprisoned and removed from their posts. The suppression in Kurdish people was unmatched by any previous historical record.

It is these atrocities and anti-democratic policies implemented by the AKP in Turkey and Kurdistan that paved the way to the coup attempt of 15 July. Following the failure of the coup, President Erdogan has extended this destructive strategy all over Turkey.

We can say this with confidence that had the 7 June, 2015 election results been respected and the conflict resolution process was continued, then there would not have even been a coup attempt. The Kurdish question’s existence and a lack of democratisation in Turkey has always been a platform for coups.

In these circumstances, we have grave concerns about the well being of Mr. Abdullah Ocalan. This concern is shared by his family, his lawyers, the Kurdish people and the wider public. Unfortunately, the pronouncements and actions of the government do little to allay these concerns.

During his meetings with his lawyers, the state and the HDP delegations, Mr Abdullah Ocalan had always warned of this possibility of a coup 15 months ago. In such a situation of violence and counter-violence, his safety would be under threat.

At this critical moment, we call upon on the HR/VP Mogherini, Commissioners Hahn and Stylianides, President Juncker and EP President Schulz to scrutinise the situation, paying particular attention to the condition of Mr. Abdullah Ocalan. We urge as well Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland to eliminate all concerns for Mr. Abdullah Ocalan’s safety and well-being.

Finally, we request all the EU Member States to recommend the CPT to meet with Mr. Ocalan but also demand that his lawyers and family are allowed to meet with him too.

For millions of people, Mr Abdullah Ocalan is their political leader and his well-being is of the utmost concern for them. Any hesitance and inaction by the EU Member States would aggravate the concerns which are legitimate and humane. To alleviate these concerns, the EU Member States must act with the utmost urgency and demand to meet Mr Abdullah Ocalan face to face at Imrali Island.

The signatories of the urgent appeal are as follows:

1. KNK , http://www.kongrakurdistan.net/en/

2. Patriotic Union of Kurdistan –PUK, Iraq- Kurdistan http://www.pukpb.org/en/

3. Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party –HSDK, Iraq- Kurdistan

4. Kurdistan Islamic Party - PIK , Turkey-Kurdistan http://www.kurdiu.org/

5. Kurdistan Change Movement –GORAN, Iraqi Kurdistan http://gorran.net/En/

6. Kurdish Democratic Society Congress of Europe- KCD-E https://www.kcde.eu

7. Islamic Union of Kurdistan, Iraq- Kurdistan http://www.kurdiu.org

8. Kurdistan Islamic Association, Iraq- Kurdistan

9. Kurdish Women’s Movement of Europe- TJKE http://www.ceni-kurdistan.com/

10. Kurdistan Ezidi Federation – FEK

11. Assyrian Union of Europe -E.S.U http://esu.eu.com

12. Assyrian Union Party in Rojava, Syria-Kurdistan

13. Democratic Union Party – PYD, Syria-Kurdistan http://www.pydrojava.net/en/

14. Kurdistan Free Life Party –PJAK, Iran-Kurdistan http://rojhelat.info/en/

15. Syrian Kurdish Left Party -PÇK- S, Syria-Kurdistan

16. Kurdistan Labourers’ Party, Iraq- Kurdistan

17. Kurdistan’s Future Party, Iraq- Kurdistan

18. The Peoples’ Democratic Party HDP Europe Office http://en.hdpeurope.eu/

19. Syrian Kurds Democrat Party- P.D.K.S http://de.famedpages.com/www/P.D.K+SYRIA

20. Syrian Kurds Leftist Democrat Party- P.Ç.D.K-S

21. Green Party of Kurdistan, Iraq- Kurdistan

22. Kurdish Institute in Brussels, Europa http://www.kurdishinstitute.be

23. Yekgirtûyî Islam in Kurdistan

24. Zehmetkêşanî Party of Kurdistan

25. Ayindeyî Party of Kurdistan

26. Association of Democratic Yarsan http://www.xorhelatnews.org/

27. PYNA (Party of Free National Union) Rojava

28. T.N.K.S (Movement of Nûjen Kurdistan – Syria )

29. Assembly of Şengalê in Foreign Country

30. Dîwexanî Kurds in Europe