NEWS CENTRE - Many intellectuals and writers, including Nobel Laureates, called on Xavier Bettel, President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, to ensure the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.
Protests and activities for the physical freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is held in İmralı Type F High Security Prison under severe isolation conditions, continue. Academics, trade unionists, politicians, human rights defenders and many international participants, including 69 Nobel Prize winners, have written a letter addressed to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
The letter was addressed to Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, the Chair of the Committee, and demanded that Abdullah Öcalan be granted immediate access to his lawyers and family and ultimately released.
The letter referred to the European Court of Human Rights' (ECtHR) 2014 ruling on Abdullah Öcalan's right to hope and stated that the Committee could prepare an interim resolution if the call of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in September 2023 was not complied with.
The letter emphasised that Abdullah Öcalan is ready for a peaceful process despite his 26 years of imprisonment and stated that the process is critical for ending the conflict in Turkey and contributing to lasting peace in the Middle East.
CALL FOR FREEDOM OF ABDULLAH ÖCALAN
Trade union representatives, politicians, civil society organisations, academics, journalists, human rights activists and artists who signed the letter stated that a real solution and peace cannot be achieved without the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.
The letter called on the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to take concrete legal, diplomatic and political steps. The signatories emphasised that the regular access of Abdullah Öcalan to his family and lawyers and his eventual release are critical for the resolution of the Kurdish problem in Turkey.
SIGNATURES
* On behalf of the Network and the Nobel Initiative: Kariane Westrheim, Professor Emeritus, University of Bergen, Norway
* Abha Bhaiya, Founder of 1 Billion Rising, India
* Agilan Waradarajah, Tamil People's Council of Eelam, Germany
* Alfonso Di Stefano, Solidarity with Kurdistan, Catania, Italy
* Anna Bruna Camposampiero, PRC/EL Secretariat, Italy
* Annick SAMOUELIAN, Coordinator / Collectif Solidarité Kurdistan 13 (CSK13)
* Andre Metayer, Amitiés kurdes de Bretagne, France
* Antonino De Cristofaro, COBAS School Union Director, Italy
* Arne Zupancic, Activist-ADM, Slovenia
* Beatriu Cardona i Prats, Trade Union Representative in Valencia, Spain
* Benny Olof Gustafsson, Member of the Söderhamn Committee for Solidarity with Kurdistan, Left Party, Sweden
* Beth Hartmann, Member of the Initiative in Solidarity with Kurdistan, Norway
* Consuelo Núñez, Rojava Azadî Madrid Collective, Spain
* Daniel Loick, Associate Professor of Political and Social Philosophy, University of Amsterdam, Germany
* Dersim Dagdeviren, EUTCC Board Member, KURD-AKAD, Germany
* Detjon Begaj, Group Leader of the Civica Bologna Coalition in the Bologna City Council, Italy
* Debbie Bookchin, Journalist and Author, USA
* Domenico Mucignat, Ya Basta, Italy
* Eduardo Lucas Camacho, IAC Alternative Trade Union Representative, Catalonia
* Efstathiou Efstathios, Lawyer, Cyprus
* Eleonora Bonaccorsi, President of Fonti di Pace Association, Italy
* Eleonora De Majo, Former City Councilor of Naples, Italy
* Elisabeth Decrey, Former President of the Republic of Geneva and Cantonal Parliament, Switzerland
* Emily Marion Clancy, Deputy Mayor of Bologna, Italy
* Emmanuel Rozental, Member of the Organization 'Pueblos en Camino', Colombia
* Erik Hagedorn, Activist and political scientist, Germany
* Esterina Vitrano, Researcher at the University of Sicily, Italy
* Eva Bappho Eivorsdotter Birath, Member of Söderhamn Committee for Solidarity with Kurdistan, Left Party, Sweden
* Federico Venturini, Academician, Committee for Freedom for Öcalan, Italy
* Fernando Coll Sol, CSC Trade Union Representative, Catalonia
* Florencia Guarche, PhD Candidate, France
* Felipe Martinez, Sociologist and writer, Colombia
* Gerhard Keller, Wahrheitskämpfer e.V, Germany
* Gian Luigi Deiana, Antonio Gramsci Association, Ghilarza, Italy
* Gianfranco Fattorini, Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l'amitié entre les peuples (MRAP), Switzerland
* Gianluca Peciola, Advisor to the Senate Group Left-Green Alliance, Italy
* Giovanni Piazza, Lecturer at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Catania, Italy
* Gisela Rhein, Activist for Peace, Germany
* Isabel Martínez-Risco Valdivieso, Theater Actress, Galicia, Spain
* Sylvie Jan, President of France-Kurdistan Association, France
* Jean-Pierre Restellini, former member of the CPT (European Committee for the Prevention of Torture)
* Jessica Merli, Secretary of FLC CGIL Milano, School Union, Italy
* Jesper Brandt, Professor Emeritus, Roskilde University, Denmark
* Jonna Sophie Kühl, Linksjugend, Germany
* Jose Vicente Mertz, PhD Candidate in Anthropology at the University of Lisbon, Portugal
* Julia Iglesias Lopez, Plataforma Kurdistan, Basque Country
* Julie Ward, Former Member of the European Parliament, United Kingdom
* Jürgen Klute, Former Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the EP Kurdish Friendship Group
* Kaja Hilleren, International Socialist Youth Leader, Norway
* Kariane Westrheim, EUTCC Chair, University of Bergen, Norway
* Marc Clasca Ramirez, ARRAN Youth Organization, Catalonia
* Maria M. Gomez Llanos, Plataforma Kurdistan, Basque Country
* Martin Dolzer, Author, Germany
* Massimiliano De Conca, FLC CGIL Lombardia Secretary, Italy
* Manuel Rozental, Colombia
* Mechtild Exo, Senior Lecturer, Doctor of Political Science
* Mirari Ulibarri Ugarriza, ELA Trade Union Representative, Basque Country
* Nicola Salvatore Andrea Giua, COBAS School Union Sardegna, Italy
* Naomi Ferreira, Galician Baran Platform, Spain
* Nihad Al Kadi, Human Rights Activist, Netherlands
* Ögmundur Jónasson, Former Minister of Justice, Iceland
* Oliver Lundahl Bohn, Representative of the Kurdistan Committee at the Copenhagen International Forum, Denmark
* Orsola Casagrande, Journalist, Basque Country
* Paolo Ferrero, Former Minister of Social Affairs, Italy
* Pascal Ange Torre, Co-Chair of the Committee in Solidarity with Kurdistan, France
* Pedro Lobera Díaz, OSTA Trade Union Representative, Aragon
* Rebekka Timmer, former president of the BIJ1 Party and socialist activist, Netherlands
* Renato Strumia, CUB Basic Trade Union Secretary, Italy
* Renee Fernande Germaine Le Mignot, MRAP Co-Chair, France
* Rezan Sarıca, Lawyer, Asrin Law Office, Turkey
* Roberto Mapelli, Ass. Punto Rosso, Italian publisher of Öcalan's book
* Rolf Goessner, lawyer, author, parliamentary advisor and civil rights activist, Germany
* Rosa Moussaoui, Editor of L'Humanité, France
* Rosaria Piroddi, COBAS School Union Sardegna, Italy
* Rudolf Bürgel, Die Linke Baden-Württemberg, Germany
* Sabine Skubsch, Die Linke Baden-Württemberg, Germany
* Sarah Glynn, Architect, Academic, Activist, United Kingdom
* Sinan Önal, Political Scientist, Journalist, Germany
* Simon Dubbins, Director of International Relations and Research, UNITE the Union, UK
* Stephania Herodotou, Activist, United Kingdom
* Susanne Köhler, Wahrheitskämpfer e.V, Germany
* Thomas Phillips, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom
* Thoreau Redcrow, Co-Director of The Kurdish Center for Studies, USA
* Turid Kjernlie, Red Party Member, Norway
* Tziazas Sokratis, Lawyer, Cyprus
* Valentín Brugos Salas, Representative of the IC Trade Union Confederation in Asturias
* Vicente Jose Rekondo, LAB Trade Union Representative, Basque Country
* Villo Sigurdsson, Former Mayor of Copenhagen, Denmark
* Walter Baier, President of the Party of the European Left
* Xosé L. Rivera Jácome, Representative of CIG - Galician Trade Union Confederation