The Movement for a Democratic Society (TEV-DEM) released a statement marking the 9 October conspiracy which forced Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan to leave the Middle East in 1998 after Turkey threatened Syria that they would start a war, if Öcalan was not handed over, thus marking the beginning of the odyssey that ended in the international conspiracy of February 15, 1999, 

TEV-DEM pointed out that 26 years ago, while the region was making progress towards democracy and peaceful solutions, Öcalan was trying to ensure a ceasefire to stop the war in Turkey and turn the region into a model of democratic state. “The Turkish state, however, evolved into the instrument of a dirty politics, trampled on the principles of democracy and fell into the trap of a conspiracy in defiance of international law. The goal of the conspiracy was to annihilate the Kurdish people and prevent a democratic solution and peace.”

Referring to the imposition of aggravated isolation on Öcalan in the prison island of Imrali where he has been held captive since 1999, TEV-DEM said that the system of isolation was against human rights and a result of desperateness as the Turkish state continued to deny the existence of the Kurdish people and imposed the policy of forced displacement on the Kurds.

TEV-DEM also denounced the recent wave of Turkish attacks that are directed against civilian settlements and infrastructure in North-East Syria, stressing that the Turkish state committed a crime against humanity.

TEV-DEM called on all political and national circles in North and East Syria, as well as all non-governmental organizations and constituents in the region to enhance the struggle for the protection of Abdullah Öcalan’s gains.

TEV-DEM also called on all organizations that stand for laws, freedom and democracy to arrange democratic activities to ensure Öcalan’s physical freedom and protect the values of the peoples.