Lawyer Mehdi Özdemir spoke to ANF about isolation, the 'right to hope,' and Abdullah Öcalan's 'Call for Peace and a Democratic Society'. He said: "Hope has emerged for the implementation of certain regulations addressing the key issues at the root of the Kurdish question and the establishment of social peace as a step toward a lasting solution to this problem."

We are cautious, but hopeful  

Lawyer Özdemir recalled that ceasefires had been declared since the 1990s, particularly during the years 2013 and 2015, and that at times, peace processes had been initiated. However, he pointed out that "the outcome has always been negative." He attributed this negativity to a state policy that aimed not to resolve the Kurdish issue but rather to perpetuate it. 

"We want to approach the current process with the awareness that it is not the same as before. Yes, we are cautious, but we have always had hope for peace, and we still do at this stage," he said. 

Isolation continues to be an obstacle 

Lawyer Özdemir noted that the perpetuation of problems created through unlawful means is a state policy and continued: "Isolation can be described as the social isolation of a person in prison, but from a political perspective, the purpose of the isolation imposed on Mr. Abdullah Öcalan is much broader. Essentially, it is an obstacle preventing him from fulfilling his role and responsibilities. When evaluated within the framework of a new roadmap, he is the sole interlocutor in the resolution of the Kurdish issue. In order for him to fulfill this role, his physical conditions must be liberated, and he must have access to opportunities that allow him to take on his responsibilities."

Lawyer Özdemir underlined that "ensuring the ‘right to hope’ and creating the possibility of conditional release would mean providing the means and conditions for him to fulfill his role and responsibilities. In this regard, urgent legal amendments must be made to eliminate the injustice surrounding Mr. Abdullah Öcalan and thousands of other prisoners."