On October 9, 1998, the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) leader Abdullah Öcalan had to leave Syria under pressure from Turkey. The date marks the beginning of the international conspiracy that led to the deportation of Öcalan to Turkey. On the occasion of the anniversary, the Kurdish Women's Movement in Europe (TJK-E) organised demonstrations in Strasbourg and Brussels demanding Öcalan's freedom.

Strasbourg: We are here because we demand freedom for Abdullah Öcalan!

The demonstration in Strasbourg began with an opening rally on Place Kléber. The participants chanted "Freedom for Öcalan" and "Jin Jiyan Azadî" [Woman, Life, Freedom]. Neslihan Kılıç read a statement in the name of the TJK-E, in which the forces involved in the international conspiracy were held responsible for the war in Kurdistan, which is still continuing today. "Our anger is still as great as on the first day and our will to undo the conspiracy is stronger than ever. We are here today to remember the role of the European states in the conspiracy and to draw attention to their silence on the fascism of the Turkish state. We are here because we demand freedom for Abdullah Öcalan!," the activist said.

The subsequent protest march continued to the square where a permanent vigil calling for freedom for Öcalan has been held for over eight years.

Brussels: Time for freedom

In Brussels, women demonstrated at Luxembourg Square to make themselves heard by the European Parliament. Posters with Öcalan’s quotations and information about the current campaign "Time for Freedom" were hung up at the square. The exiled politician and former HDP member of parliament Nursel Aydoğan called on the EU states to break their silence on the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan.