march 16, 2021
Protests Need to Continue until Face-to-Face Meeting with our Leader Abdullah Öcalan
Based on statements made by a MHP member of the Turkish parliament certain claims regarding the health of our leader Abdullah Öcalan have been spread in Turkey. As a response, his lawyers have immediately requested to meet him. Our people have taken to the streets everywhere demanding a meeting of our leader Abdullah Öcalan and his lawyers in order to receive information about his health. We take the news about our leader Abdullah Öcalan very seriously and demand an immediate clarification. A negative attitude towards the health and life of a people`s leader constitutes an open genocidal attack on this people. It equals the decision to annihilate a people completely. There is absolutely no doubt that, faced with a negative situation, both our people and our Freedom Movement will respond to this war with all means necessary.
The Turkish state is directly responsible for the health and life of our leader Abdullah Öcalan. The international institutions that have taken on the obligation for all prisoners in Turkey are also responsible. The CPT and the Council of Europe will be responsible for any negative developments concerning the health and life of our leader. It was our leader Abdullah Öcalan himself who warned the Turkish state and its institutions by saying that any negative developments regarding his health and life on Imrali needed to be considered a political issue. At the same time he stressed that our people also needs to acknowledge the responsibility of these forces.
The kinds of news that have recently been spread need to be taken very seriously. Because among the state and various political forces there are many groups that pursue a hostile policy towards our leader Abdullah Öcalan. In the past, state representatives themselves have stated that he would not leave Imrali alive thus clearly showcasing their mentality and attitude towards our leader Abdullah Öcalan. It is a historic responsibility to stay on the streets until a meeting with him takes place and his health and security are confirmed. Our people, our friends and all democratic forces need to take to the streets and struggle in order to receive reliable information about the health of our leader Abdullah Öcalan. When it comes to his health statements are not enough. There is absolutely no alternative to a face-to-face meeting between our leader Abdullah Öcalan and his lawyers.
For years Imrali has been subjected to a policy of total isolation. This shows the kind of hostility towards our leader Abdullah Öcalan. The isolation is also an attack on his health. Neither the rule of law and human rights nor an approach worthy of a political prisoner exist on Imrali. There is only one way left to bring an end to this situation: liberating our leader Abdullah Öcalan.
The recent news about Imrali have once again shown that we started our campaing `Time to Ensure Freedom` just in time. From today on, the Newroz fire of 2021 needs to be lit and increased as a campaign for the freedom of our leader. Everywhere the Newroz celebrations of our people need to be turned into a struggle for his freedom. Today, the freedom of our leader Abdullah Öcalan and that of the Kurdish women are closely associated with each other. The basic goal of the `Time to Ensure Freedom`-campaign needs to be the liberation of our leader Abdullah Öcalan and Kurdistan. Turning the Newroz celebrations into places of struggle for the freedom of the Kurdish people and of our leader Abdullah Öcalan will prevent any negative approaches towards him.
Our people in Europe and Rojava have taken to the streets immediately for the health and safety of our leader. Our people in North Kurdistan needs to take to the streets everywhere and integrate the Newroz celebrations with the campaign for our leader`s freedom. The Kurdish people needs to rise up in all four parts of Kurdistan and beyond to fight against the attacks on the health and life of our leader Abdullah Öcalan. Thus, our people needs to celebrate Newroz everywhere under the slogan `A free Leader and a free Kurdistan`.
Until there are clear information about the health and safety of our leader Abdullah Öcalan, our people needs to continue these kinds of protests.
We warn the AKP-MHP government which is currently primarily responsible for the health and safety of our leader Abdullah Öcalan! Any negative approach to our leader will lead us to increase the ways and methods of our struggle to another level. It is well-known how sensitive our people and movement are regarding the health, safety and life of our leader. Therefore, there should be an immediate clarification about the health and safety of our leader Abdullah Öcalan, in a way that is convincing for the Kurdish people.
Co-Presidency
KCK Executive Council