ANKARA – DEM Party MP and Parliamentary Commission member Meral Danış Beştaş emphasized that Abdullah Öcalan, as a principal actor and interlocutor in the peace process, must be heard. “I believe the commission will visit İmralı in the coming weeks and that this meeting will take place,” she said.
The Parliamentary Commission on National Solidarity, Fraternity, and Democracy, established to facilitate a solution to the Kurdish issue through legal and political dialogue, continues to meet with various segments of society. Meral Danış Beştaş, a member of the commission and Erzurum MP from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, shared her perspective on the commission’s role with Mezopotamya Agency (MA).
Stressing that the Peace and Democratic Society Process began with a call from Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, Meral Danış Beştaş stated, “Peace steps were taken, and the process was given form. Mr. Öcalan is both the architect and the main interlocutor. Holding one party in prison while the state exercises unlimited power violates the principle of balance. Ensuring Mr. Öcalan’s health, safety, and freedom is a basic requirement.”
‘HEARING ÖCALAN IS A DUTY OF THE COMMISSION’
Meral Danış Beştaş underlined that it is the responsibility of the parliamentary commission to listen to Öcalan. “As a reflection of the people’s will, the 51-member commission can shape its roadmap by hearing the primary interlocutor of the process. This would also help meet public expectations and give substance to its work,” she said.
Meral Danış Beştaş added that the nature of the process demands a meeting with Öcalan. “His statements have guided key stages such as PKK’s disbandment and disarmament. The state has also negotiated with him. If victims, legal experts, and academics are being consulted, so too must the main party be. This would undoubtedly contribute to the process,” she said.
‘ÖCALAN’S VOICE WOULD BRING CLARITY’
Meral Danış Beştaş stated that a transparent meeting with Öcalan would clear public confusion. She also emphasized that removing barriers to the release of ill prisoners and those with extended sentences would support the process, and that legal reform on the “right to hope” would signal a return to the rule of law.
Citing the 2014 European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruling that life imprisonment without parole violates the prohibition on torture and inhumane treatment, Meral Danış Beştaş reminded that the case of Abdullah Öcalan remains under review by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. “Turkey is legally obligated to enact legislation granting the right to hope. Doing so would be a concrete sign of adherence to the rule of law,” she said.
‘REPEALING ANTI-TERROR LAW IS A CRITICAL STEP’
Meral Danış Beştaş called for the abolition of the Anti-Terror Law (TMK), which grants courts broad discretionary powers. “This would be a vital democratic step in the process. The commission should also identify and address other necessary reforms,” she added.
‘KURDISH LANGUAGE REJECTION SYMBOLIZES THE PROBLEM’
Referencing an incident where Kurdish-speaking Peace Mothers were prevented from addressing the commission in their native language, Meral Danış Beştaş said: “This reveals the depth of systemic discrimination. While government officials speak Kurdish when convenient, preventing Peace Mothers from doing so raises questions of sincerity. A truly solution-oriented parliament must address such symbolic issues.”
She noted that the commission’s purpose is to listen, understand, and respond to demands. She highlighted that many participants called for the right to hope, the end of discriminatory practices, education in native languages, and the implementation of Constitutional Court and ECtHR rulings. She urged the formation of permanent parliamentary bodies to ensure legal implementation of these demands.
‘PROGRESS DEPENDS ON CONCRETE STEPS’
Meral Danış Beştaş concluded that democratic reforms must progress alongside the commission’s work: “Mr. Öcalan’s call on February 27 was a major turning point. The next steps must include democratization, restoration of the rule of law, and creating conditions for a democratic society.”
Noting that the commission is expected to conclude its work by December 31, Meral Danış Beştaş said: “We are ready to work seven days a week. Once hearings conclude, it is imperative that the commission takes real steps toward a solution.”
MA / Omer Gungor