Newroz celebrations have continued to take place in many cities of Kurdistan and Turkey with great enthusiasm, greeting the message of Abdullah Öcalan read out in Amed yesterday, which was a manifesto for freedom and democracy.

Adana

The celebrations in Adana took place in the central Seyhan district of the city. The celebration was attended by thousands of people carryin posters of the Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan as well as the flags of the PKK, KCK and YPG and YPJ. HDP Adana branch co-chair Hüseyin Yıldız made a short speech at the rally saying that the Kurdish people must take ownership of the values created by the Kurdish Leader if they want to see him free.

Following the speech of Yıldız, a girl from Kobane, Rijgirya, read a poem for her brother who lost his life in Kobane. The celebration ended with musical performances.

Mersin

In Mersin, a Newroz celebration took place in the Yenişehir district attended by a large crowd. The HDP district branch co-chair made a speech at the rally saying that 21 March is the day in which the length of day and night are equal and Newroz is the day the Kurdish people demand equal rights in the country.
Today a big rally is taking place in the centre of Mersin, where HDK co-chair Ertuğrul Kürkçü is addressing the masses calling on them to raise the struggle for peace and democracy.

Manisa

In the Western province of Manisa HDP Saruhanlı branch organised a Newroz rally in the village of Azimli together with the villagers. While people jumped over the Newroz fire, local artists joined the celebration with musical performances warming up the people.

Istanbul

In Istanbul, HDP Bagcılar branch organised a Newroz celebration in the Fevzi Çakmak neighbourhood, participated in by thousands of people carrying posters of the Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan. The attacks in Haseke that claimed the lives of 17 people were condemned at the Bagcılar Newroz rally with a minute’s silence for those who lost their lives.

Today, the big rally in Istanbul is taking place at the Kazlıçeşme rally area, where tens of thousands of people starting to gather from early morning.

Şırnak

In Beytüşşebap district of Şırnak, the Newroz celebrations have been continuing for a week. Yesterday evening people gathered around the fires lit in the town and perform halay with the songs played by local singers.

İzmir

In the biggest Western province of Turkey, Izmir, the Newroz celebration took place in Kadifekale in the central district of Konak. The celebration was organised by the HDP Konak branch. The celebration in Izmir was dedicated to Rahşan Demirel, who set herself alight to protest the ban on Newroz on 21 March 1992. The speeches at the rally put emphasis on the resistance in Kobane as well as the necessity for a democratic solution in the Middle East based on equal citizenship and democratic politics in line with the call of Abdullah Öcalan in his message that was read out at Newroz in Amed yesterday.

While the demand for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan was raised at the Newroz in Izmir, the same demand was put in slogans also in celebrations that took place in the Menemen, Buca, Çiğli, Balçova and Karabağlar districts of Izmir.