Kurds staged rallies in cities of France, Germany and the Netherlands for concerns over Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s health and security.

PARIS

 

Hundreds of Kurds gathered in front of the Gare de l’Est train station in Paris, France to protest the isolation on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. The rally was organized by Kurdish Democratic Council (CDK-F), Kurdish Women’s Movement in France (TJK-F) and Free Youth Organization.

Co-chair of CDK-F, Ibrahim Seydo Aydogan pointed out recent speculations over Ocalan’s health and voiced concerns of Kurdish people regarding his security and health conditions. Aydogan also protested German police’s attack on Ocalan library bus in Hannover and said the attack is a sign of fear from Ocalan’s ideas which brought people together in the Middle East. “Nobody shall test Kurds. Kurdish people back this struggle which is developed with great sacrifices and they will continue to support their leader” Aydogan said.

HAMBURG

 

Kurds living in the German city of Hamburg marched from Monckerbergstrasse to Gensemarkt Square to show their support for Ocalan. The demonstrators called on the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) to visit Imrali, where Kurdish leader Ocalan is imprisoned for the past 18 years. The protestors also condemned Germany for taking side with Turkey rather than supporting the democracy struggle in Turkey.

GOTTINGEN-KASSEL

Kurds launched a two-day long walk, from Gottingen to Kassel on Saturday. About a hundred activists started walking from Gottingen carrying banners that read “Freedom for Ocalan, Peace in Kurdistan.” The activists distributed thousands of leaflets that provided information about the isolation imposed on the Kurdish leader by the Turkish state.

DEN HAAG

Kurds gathered in front of the Dutch Parliament in Den Haag to raise awareness on Turkey’s policy of isolation against Abdullah Ocalan. Protestors chanted slogans in favour of the Kurdish leader and carried Ocalan posters and KCK, PKK flags. Kurds called on Turkey to end the isolation on their leader.

GRAZ

The Democratic Kurdish Society Centre of Graz, Austria organized a demonstration for Öcalan and demanded his freedom. Demonstrators staged a march from Griesplatz to Südtiroler Platz where they handed out flyers and held speeches calling attention to the Turkish state’s aggravated isolation of the Kurdish leader.

FRANKFURT

The Ocalan Library bus stopped in German city of Frankfurt to attend a conference by Die Linke (German Left Party). The activists were greeted by members of Die Linke. Peter Muller, one of the activists, addressed the conference attendees and the activists presented copies of Ocalan’s books to the delegates of the conference.