The Kurdish cultural movement TEV-ÇAND artists called for participation in the central march to be held in Cologne on 17 February to demand freedom for Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

In a written statement, TEV-ÇAND artists confirmed their support for the rally 'Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, political solution to the Kurdish question', and added: "Capitalist states are openly violating all human values in order to realize the occupying Turkish state's hope of destroying the Kurdish cause and Kurdistan. First, they blocked all diplomatic efforts, then, through an international conspiracy, they kidnapped Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] and handed him over to the state that swore hostility towards Kurds. Their dream was that if Leader Apo was captured, the freedom struggle of the Kurdish people would disappear along with him. And in this way, there would be no such thing as the Kurdish problem to disturb them. But no power will be able to separate Leader Apo and the Apoist movement from the Kurdish people by reading and researching the previous rebellions well.”

The artists continued: “The Kurdish people and their friends, who have been fighting this struggle for 25 years, prove every day that they have foiled the plans of the conspirators.

The roads to a democratic solution have been blocked for 25 years. The occupying Turkish state is attacking and massacring the Kurdish people and their fighters using banned weapons provided by capitalist states. Villages and cities are being destroyed, political and cultural genocide has reached its most brutal level. In Rojava, infrastructures are bombed every day, political murders are committed, artists, intellectuals and activists are targeted. However, despite these actions, they cannot end the freedom struggle and take the Kurdish people captive. This is what drives the occupying state crazy.”

The statement continued with the following call: “As patriotic artists, we know that we have a role and duty in our people's struggle for freedom, we stand by our people in every action and try to lead. Therefore, on this historic day, all of us patriotic artists and cultural workers must stand by our people. On 17 February, we will stop all our programs because the only program is to attend the historical action to be taken for Leader Apo's physical freedom."