From 11 to 16 September, another long march of the Kurdish youth movement for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan will take place in Germany. The organisers expect Kurdish and internationalist participants from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria and Switzerland. The demonstration, which will last several days, will take place under the slogan “For the freedom of Rêber Apo – Join the struggle for freedom” and will lead from Essen to Aachen.

The preparatory committee of the Long March released a written statement and said, “As Kurdish and international youth, we will come together in Essen on September 10 and start the Long March on September 11. We will complete our march in the city of Aachen on September 16. We have completed our preparations for the march, and we are waiting for the Kurdish and international youth.”

The statement continued, Öcalan has been held hostage for 24 years under a system of isolation and torture. Supported by local collaborators, the invading Turkish state and international powers seek to normalize this torture of isolation and make the Kurdish people recognize it. From the beginning of the international conspiracy against Öcalan, the torture of isolation has become more and more systematic. In an unprecedented move, Öcalan has been totally cut off from the outside world. Meetings with his lawyers have been banned since 2011, and since 2015, when the genocidal attacks against the Kurdish people started, all visits to him, including family and delegations, have been banned. Öcalan is subjected to bans and arbitrary practices that remain incomparable. After the fascist AKP-MHP regime came to power, an unlawful and immoral regime of isolation and torture was introduced in the Imrali prison and it spread to Kurdistan and then to the entire Turkey.”

EU STATES APPROVE THE AKP-MHP FASCISM IN SILENCE

The statement noted that the last phone call with Öcalan was with his brother on March 25, 2021. “Since then, no news has been received from him. For exactly 16 months, Öcalan’s all ties with the outside world have been cut. His most fundamental right to meet his lawyers and family are violated by the fascist Turkish state. It is now time to put an end to this system of isolation and to ensure the physical freedom of Öcalan! The biggest partners to this torture system are the European states and institutions. The European states that promote democracy and human rights silently approve all illegal fascist practices of the fascist AKP-MHP regime, particularly in İmralı, in all prisons, in Kurdistan and in Turkey, and continue their cooperation with Turkey in every field.

As the Kurdish youth living in Europe, it is unacceptable for us to remain silent towards the current situation. We will carry out our Long March, which will kick off from Essen, Germany on September 11 and will conclude in Aachen on September 16 to demand the freedom of Öcalan. We call on all the Kurdish and internationalist youth living in Europe to demand Öcalan's freedom under the motto ‘Join the struggle for freedom for the freedom of Leader Öcalan’.

Long March dates and route:

Gathering:

* 10.09.2022

Am Freistein 50, 45141 Essen

Time: 16:00

* 11.09.2022

ESSEN-DUISBURG

* 12.09.2022

DUISBURG-KREFELD

* 13.09.2022

DÜSSELDORF FLUGAFEN-

DUSSELDORF

* 14.09.2022

DÜSSELDORF BENRATH-

LEVERKUSEN

* 15.09.2022

LEVERKUSEN CHEMPARK-

COLOGNE MULHEIM

* 16.09.2022

AACHEN

Contact information:

[email protected]