The Apoist Movement Leadership has issued a statement to mark the anniversary of the PKK’s 12th Congress, which took place between 5 and 7 May. 

 

According to a report by the Fırat News Agency (ANF), the meeting was held at the Media Defence Areas. 

 

At the press conference, attended by Mustafa Karasu, a member of the KCK Executive Council, and Sozdar Avesta, a member of the KCK General Presidency Council, journalists’ questions were answered following the statement. 

 

Sozdar Avesta read the statement in Kurdish, whilst Mustafa Karasu read it in Turkish.  

 

The statement reads: 

 

"“We are holding this meeting on the anniversary of the 12th Congress of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), which we held between May 5–7. One year has passed since our decision to dissolve the PKK and end the armed struggle against Turkey. In this meeting, we want to evaluate the developments that have taken place over the past year, in line with Leader Apo’s Call for Peace and Democratic Society, from the perspective of our Freedom Movement and the Turkish state. We will also try to answer the issues that the public is curious about.

 

In his call dated February 27, 2025, Leader Apo presented the conditions and reasons for the emergence of the PKK and called for its dissolution and the end of the armed struggle against Turkey as a result of developments over the past 50 years. Our movement declared a unilateral ceasefire on March 1, immediately after this call.

 

After this call, many circles and individuals stated that the PKK would not comply with it. However, the PKK, which was born as a leadership movement and has struggled and developed along this leadership line, convened its congress in a short time. It complied with the leader’s call without hesitation and decided to dissolve the PKK and end the armed struggle against Turkey. It was also decided that Leader Apo would be the one to ensure the implementation of these decisions. It was especially emphasized that Leader Apo, as the chief negotiator, would conduct the Peace and Democratic Society Process.

 

Since 1993, Leader Apo has declared unilateral ceasefires multiple times to pave the way for a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue. He has presented reasonable approaches and solution proposals not seen in other conflict-resolution cases around the world. However, since the Turkish state did not have a policy for a solution at that time, these initiatives remained inconclusive. Leader Apo responded positively to the call made by MHP Chairman and government partner Devlet Bahçeli on October 22, 2024, considering that there might be a will for a solution within the state.

 

Our Freedom Movement has taken very radical decisions, such as dissolving the PKK and ending the armed struggle, because it believes in Leader Apo’s capacity to produce a solution. These steps are enormous steps that will pave the way for a democratic solution. In order to demonstrate our will and determination regarding these steps, our KCK Executive Council Co-Chair Besê Hozat burned weapons together with 30 of our guerrilla comrades on July 11, 2025. Thus, it was emphasized that when the necessary legal steps are taken and political conditions are formed, thousands of guerrillas will also lay down their arms. Indeed, Devlet Bahçeli also stated that it would have been better if the necessary laws had been enacted and those who burned their weapons had been enabled to come to Turkey, thereby outlining how disarmament and return to Turkey could take place.

 

‘WE WITHDREW OUR ARMED FORCES FROM WITHIN TURKEY’S BORDERS’

 

In order to demonstrate our will to end the armed struggle and achieve a democratic political solution, we as the Freedom Movement withdrew our armed forces from within Turkey’s borders. We also evacuated some guerrilla positions in the Medya Defense Zones that could pose a risk of conflict. We also handed over MİT officials whom we had captured in 2017.

 

We did all of this to ensure that political and legal steps would be taken to achieve a democratic political solution. During this process, no steps were taken apart from some meetings held with our leader in İmralı and ensuring the retrieval of some of our martyrs in the Medya Defense Zones.

 

While we acted sensitively in preparing Kurdish public opinion for a democratic political solution and in delivering positive messages to the people of Turkey, some government spokespersons and pro-government media adopted an attitude that created negative perceptions, rather than preparing the public. Negative approaches toward the opposition also prevented the growth of social support.

 

‘PROPOSALS IN THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION REPORT STILL NOT PUT INTO PRACTICE’

 

We viewed the commission formed in parliament positively. However, the prolongation of the report preparation process and the shortcomings in preparing the public were not favorable. Although our leader is the main interlocutor and a party to the solution, he was met by the commission only once. In the end, the parliamentary commission prepared a report that, despite its significant shortcomings, would have positive effects if implemented. However, the understanding and proposals in the report have still not been put into practice. This creates the impression that the government is not sincere and does not approach the Peace and Democratic Society Process correctly.

 

It was Leader Apo who initiated and accelerated this process by making the Call for Peace and Democratic Society on February 27, 2025. Leader Apo envisions ending the century-long period of tension and conflict between Turkey and the Kurdish people and resolving the Kurdish issue through Democratic Integration within a democratic republic. His aim and efforts are directed toward this. However, in order for him to play his role in achieving such a goal, he must be recognized as an official interlocutor. In this way, it would be understood that the state has a will to resolve the Kurdish issue. A genuine solution process would begin with the clarification of Leader Apo’s legal interlocutor status.

 

‘LEADER ÖCALAN’S STATUS MUST BE CLARIFIED SO HE CAN PLAY HIS ROLE’

 

Leader Apo has repeatedly expressed the need for his status to be clarified so that the meetings held and statements made so far can be meaningful and yield results. If he can meet with various segments with a defined legal and political position, then he can play his role effectively. Otherwise, with occasional meetings with delegations, he cannot fulfill his real role, nor can it be expected of him.

 

The fact that Leader Apo, who is the primary interlocutor of the Kurdish question- a fundamental issue of Turkey- remains in his current position shows that the issue and its resolution are not being approached correctly. While this reality stands, statements by the speaker of parliament and AKP officials that the process is progressing and there is no deadlock do not reflect the current situation. Only when Leader Apo’s status is clarified and he attains conditions for free work can we speak of progress in the process. In such a case, the Kurdish people and the democratic public will also believe that the process is advancing, and support for it will increase rapidly.

 

‘NECESSARY LEGAL STEPS TO ADVANCE THE PROCESS HAVE STILL NOT BEEN TAKEN’

 

For the Peace and Democratic Society Process to progress, a political decision determining Leader Apo’s status must be made, and legal steps must be taken to ensure that democratic politics can be carried out freely. It has been known by all parties since the beginning of the process that the complete laying down of arms and the transition to democratic politics will occur through legal steps. For this reason, which legal steps will be taken and how a legal system will be formed are being discussed. In this context, stating that the taking of legal steps is “dependent on the verification and confirmation of the laying down of arms” does not reflect reality and confuses the public. Have laws guaranteeing freedom of expression and organization—ensuring the free practice of democratic politics—been enacted, and have we announced in response that we would not lay down arms and return? On the contrary, Leader Apo has called for the preparation of a legal and judicial framework to accelerate returns. In fact, officials stated that legal steps would be taken after the Ramadan holiday, but the necessary legal steps to advance the process have still not been taken.

 

‘LEADER ÖCALAN IS THE CHIEF NEGOTIATOR AND THE EXECUTOR OF THIS PROCESS’

 

As the Kurdish Freedom Movement, we decided at the congress where the PKK was dissolved and the armed struggle against Turkey was ended that the Peace and Democratic Society Process would be conducted by Leader Apo. Leader Apo is the chief negotiator and the executor of this process. Taking this reality into account, Leader Apo’s political position as the main interlocutor must be clarified and he must attain conditions for free work. Only in this way can the process be conducted correctly and brought to a conclusion. We have fulfilled our responsibilities to an extent that no party in the world expected. Now, for the Peace and Democratic Society Process to reach a conclusion, Leader Apo’s status must be clarified and legal and judicial steps must be taken. This is the expectation of our people, democratic forces, and ourselves.”