DEM Party calls for easing Abdullah Ocalan’s isolation to support ongoing peace efforts

DEM Party calls for easing Abdullah Ocalan’s isolation to support ongoing peace efforts

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A senior official from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) says improving the conditions of jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan is essential for advancing the new peace initiative between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

DEM Party: Ocalan must communicate directly with the public

Ebru Gunay, Deputy Co-Chair and Co-Spokesperson of the DEM Party’s Foreign Affairs Commission, said Ocalan should be allowed direct communication channels rather than relying on intermediaries. “The conditions of Mr. Ocalan must change,” Gunay said, noting that enabling him to speak to the public and political actors would have a strong influence on shaping public opinion.

She added that Ocalan’s assessments and proposals “can no longer be conveyed through third parties” and that access to communication tools is necessary for a transparent and effective peace process.

Challenges in the peace process linked to misinformation

Gunay highlighted that the biggest obstacle to a durable settlement is the lack of an informed public consensus. She argued that mainstream media outlets carry major responsibility and must ensure accurate reporting free from manipulation, especially during the sensitive phase of negotiations.

First parliamentary delegation meets Ocalan at Imrali

Her remarks follow a rare meeting earlier this week between Ocalan and members of the new Turkish parliamentary commission overseeing the peace initiative. The delegation included lawmakers from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and the DEM Party.

The Commission — represented by AKP’s Huseyin Yayman, DEM Party’s Gulistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, and MHP’s Feti Yildiz — held its first talks with Ocalan on Imrali Island, where he has been imprisoned since 1999. The body will reconvene on December 4 to assess the results of the visit.

Steps toward legal reform and broader political responsibility

Gunay welcomed the visit as “successful,” saying it signals the need for legal reforms to support the process. She expressed hope that progress will continue if all political blocs — “especially the ruling party and the main opposition” — take responsibility in parliament.

The 51-member parliamentary commission, formed earlier this year, was created to build a legal framework for negotiations aimed at ending more than four decades of conflict.

Ocalan’s call for disarmament and PKK withdrawals

In February, Ocalan issued a historic appeal urging his supporters to lay down their weapons and dissolve the organization he founded in 1978. The PKK announced compliance by May and subsequently rebranded as the Kurdistan Freedom Movement while continuing steps to support the peace initiative.

One of these steps was the recent withdrawal of fighters from the Zap area along the Turkish border — a region where Ankara’s forces have faced strong resistance for years.

PKK commander says Ocalan remains central to the peace effort

Senior PKK commander Murat Karayılan said over the weekend that Ocalan’s role is crucial for any long-term agreement. Speaking to the group’s media, he said the parliamentary visit strengthens the foundation for a solution.

Karayılan repeated calls for Ocalan’s “physical freedom,” claiming that meaningful progress requires his direct participation in the process.