"Standing Man" demonstration in Paris demands “Freedom for Öcalan”

Actions continue worldwide in solidarity with the international campaign "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, A Political Solution to the Kurdish Question".

In Paris, the capital of France, a group Kurdish activists gathered in Tracadero Square upon the call of the Democratic Kurdish Community Centre (DKTM) and organised a series of civil disobedience actions to support the international campaign "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, A Political Solution to the Kurdish Question". The campaign was launched with press conferences in 74 places around the world, from France, to Belgium, from Italy to the Spanish state, from Germany to the UK, from Ireland to the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Slovenia, Cyprus, Greece and across the ocean in Australia, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador. From South Africa to Kenya, Japan, India, Bangladesh, East Timor, the Philippines. The campaign unites social movements, political parties, municipalities, trade unions, activists, intellectuals and millions of Kurds and people in solidarity with the Kurdish liberation struggle worldwide around a common goal: the participation of Abdullah Öcalan in a dialogue for a just and democratic political solution to the Kurdistan question in Turkey, which has remained unresolved for more than a century.

After the announcement of the purpose of the action at 15:00, the demonstrators staged the "Standing Man" action, and about an hour later they carried out a choreography with the inscription "APO", short for Abdullah Öcalan. The demonstrations attracted great attention and applause in the square, which is a tourist area and attracts many visitors. After the choreography, a guitarist sang various pieces for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. During the course of the action, leaflets were distributed providing information about the isolation of the Kurdish leader, who has not been heard from for nearly 3 years.

"A democratic solution to the Kurdish question is only possible through the physical freedom of Mr Öcalan", the leaflets distributed in French and English said. It was pointed out that the aggravated isolation of Öcalan has increased concerns with the recent Gemlik earthquake. The activists stressed that the Kurdish People's Leader should urgently meet with his lawyers and family.