Conflict resolution

Hunger Strike for the Freedom of Öcalan

We received this statement yesterday from the Freedom for Ocalan Committee, which has initiated a 5 day hunger strike for Abdullah Ocalan and to call once again for his release from prison in Imrali island. The campaign for freedom for the recognised leader of the Kurdish movement continues.

Hunger Strike for the Freedom of Öcalan

Ocalan flagWe, the members of Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Committee and representatives of Kurdish institutions in Europe have started a five-day hunger strike (28 September -2 October 2015) to demand the freedom for Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan.

The hunger strike action is a symbolic appeal as part of the “Freedom for Öcalan” campaign, and calls on the Kurdish people living in Europe, their political friends, allies from Turkey and all those waging a common struggle against fascism under the democracy and freedom bloc to stand by the participants of the action for Öcalan’s freedom.
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Conflict resolution

Now Is the time: Abdullah Ocalan Freedom March

On Friday 13th  and Saturday 14th February thousands of people gathered in Strasbourg to call for freedom for Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is entering his 17th year in prison on the island of Imrali. The events came after many days of walking as many hundreds of people trekked across Europe to Strasbourg in  a show of solidarity with the PKK leader.  The incredible results of the Free Ocalan Campaign, in which over 10 million people signed a petition calling for Ocalan’s release, were also handed in to officials at the Council of Europe.

Thank you to filmmakers System D for the video!

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Conflict resolution, Political prisoners

Support the Kurdish hunger strikers!

Sign the petition to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe!

Peace in Kurdistan is supporting the international on-line petition to demand justice for Kurdish political prisoners. Click here to sign the petition.

Around 400 political prisoners in Turkey began an indefinite hunger strike to demand justice for Abdullah Ocalan and to raise awareness of the continued persecution of the Kurds in Turkey. Just a few weeks later, solidarity actions by hundreds more are taking place across prisons in Turkey and in Europe by Kurdish activists.

You will find information on the origins of the strike, the demands, letters from imprisoned hunger strikers in this information file, which we have made available for download (pdf). You can also read an interview with Fuad Kav, a Kurdish journalist and writer who is participating in the hunger strike in Strasbourg. Continue reading “Support the Kurdish hunger strikers!” →

Conflict resolution, Political prisoners

“In Turkey, the biggest terrorist is the state itself” – Fuad Kav

Interview with Fuad Kav

By Martin Dolzer, in Strasbourg

Fuad Kav is a Kurdish journalist and writer. After the military coup 1980 he spent 20 years and 6 months in Turkish prisons and was on many hunger strikes, today he lives in Europe. Many of his friends have died during the hunger strikes in Turkey and many more died as a result of the inhuman prison conditions and torture. Continue reading ““In Turkey, the biggest terrorist is the state itself” – Fuad Kav” →