ISTANBUL – Demonstrators at a February 15 protest in Istanbul called for the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, stating that “conditions for peace can be achieved through the principle of the Right to Hope.”

 

The Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), the Free Women’s Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA), and the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party organized a press statement at Aksaray Square in Istanbul’s Fatih district to mark the anniversary of the February 15 “international conspiracy” targeting Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan. The event, held under the slogan “Toward Freedom with the Light of Truth,” drew a large crowd.

 

CALL FOR THE ‘RIGHT TO HOPE’

 

The press statement was read by DEM Party Istanbul executive Gizem Kuzuk, who argued that the February 15 conspiracy had suffered a historic defeat in the face of Öcalan’s “unwavering determination for a solution” on İmralı Island. Quoting Öcalan, Kuzuk said the alleged aim of the plot was to block a democratic solution in the Middle East and leave Kurds without status, describing it as part of a broader effort by global powers to reshape the region.

 

‘DEMOCRATIC MODERNITY HAS OPENED A PATH’

 

Gizem Kuzuk stated that February 15 should be viewed not only as the capture of a leader but also as a reflection of regional projects and hegemonic interventions. She argued that the theory of “Democratic Modernity,” presented by Öcalan as a “Third Way” against crises produced by capitalist modernity, offered a path forward for peoples in the region.

 

She stated that despite heavy isolation conditions since 1999, Öcalan’s ideas have countered scenarios of “elimination” and “chaos” and transformed the İmralı process into a “school of resistance and peace.”

 

EMPHASIS ON FREEDOM

 

Gizem Kuzuk stressed that ongoing crises, wars, and social destruction centered on Turkey, Kurdistan, and the Middle East stem from unresolved Kurdish issues and the isolation regime on İmralı. She added that Öcalan’s proposed solutions have become a model for freedom in parts of the region, particularly in Rojava.

 

She also referred to Öcalan’s “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society” dated February 27, describing it as a historic roadmap for democratization and an honorable peace. Gizem Kuzuk called for an immediate end to isolation, the establishment of legal guarantees for democratic negotiations, and Öcalan’s release.

 

Following the press statement at Aksaray Square, police intervened in the crowd, and numerous people were detained.