The Time Has Come – Free Öcalan

The Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan has been held since 15 February 1999 in the Imrali Island F Type Closed High Security Prison as a political prisoner of the Turkish state, isolated and denied access to all means of communication.

Ögmundur Jónasson,  former Minister of Justice and Interiors of Iceland and member of the Imrali Peace Delegation, Debbie Bookchin, Journalist, USA and Ela Gandhi, The Gandhi Development Trust (GDT), South Africa published an open letter titled 'The Global Initiative: The Time Has Come – Free Öcalan'

The letter reminded that "the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) of the Council of Europe, which is responsible for monitoring the conditions in the prisons of member states, stated in their report on 5 August 2020 that 'the state of affairs [at Imrali Prison] is not acceptable and clearly contravenes various relevant international human rights instruments and standards.'

On 9 October 1998, Öcalan headed to Europe to promote a political solution to the Kurdish question. On 15 February 1999, he was abducted in Kenya in a clandestine international operation and handed over to the Turkish state. On the anniversary of Öcalan’s departure from Syria, Kurds and their supporters worldwide have decided to observe 10 October as the Global Day for Freedom of Öcalan. On this day, Kurds and their friends will organize social media activities, rallies and demonstrations."

The letter underlined that "the intensification of the isolation imposed on Öcalan began with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to end peace negotiations between Öcalan, the PKK and the Turkish state in April 2015. Since then, the isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan has been extended to the entire country. Erdogan has continued his strategy of annihilation in Kurdistan, and is pursuing the intimidation and elimination of democratic-progressive forces throughout Turkey. At the same time, the Turkish state is pursuing a campaign of illegal military expansionism, invading and occupying various areas in Syria and Iraq. Furthermore, after aggressive actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, Erdogan and the Turkish state are now fanning the flames of civil war in Libya and the bloody conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This ongoing military expansionism is a major destabilising force far beyond the Middle East."

The letter added: "Öcalan’s strategy, which promotes the peaceful coexistence of peoples and the emancipation of women, has provided the framework for the Rojava Revolution led by the Kurds of Syria, who have established a system of grassroots democracy in Rojava and throughout much of North and East Syria. The creation of this revolutionary system in North and East Syria has inspired peoples throughout the region and beyond to believe that a new society, founded on the principles of democracy, freedom and equality, can be built. The achievements of the Rojava Revolution against the backdrop of increasing regional instability make an undeniable case for freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and urgent engagement with Öcalan to achieve a peaceful and just solution to the Kurdish question and other regional global issues."

The three signatories invited "everyone to participate campaigns to call for freedom for Abdullah Öcalan with the slogans “The Time Has Come – Free Öcalan!” and “Time To End the Turkish State Expansionism and Aggression!” and to demand peace."