You Heard His Name. Learn His Story. Demand His Freedom. Issue No 30 / 4 December 2022

★ Contact: imralipost@freeocalan.org

Contents

Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2

Kurdish patriots from Darmstadt take over Freedom for Öcalan Vigil in Strasbourg in its 545th week ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2 Asrın Law Office: Öcalan did not meet with the CPT delegation………………………………………………3 Lawyer Bilmez: We must meet with our client Abdullah Öcalan immediately……………………………..6 A poem to Abdullah Öcalan to mark the 44th anniversary of the PKK………………………………………7 105 lawyers apply to Diyarbakır Bar Association to take action against Öcalan’s isolation……………..9 Speakers at KNK congress call to increase joint struggle against Imrali isolation and attacks…………10

Prisons in Turkey……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 12

Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent released from prison after more than six years……………………….12 Court keeps Gökhan Yıldırım in prison despite suspension of his sentence……………………………….13 HDP Van MP says that prisoners in Erzurum Dumlu High Security jail feel they are in danger……14 Three more prisoners join indefinite hunger strike against isolation in Konya…………………………….15 Prisoner kept behind bars for 4 years despite being seriously ill dies…………………………………………16 At least 73 prisoners died in jails across Turkey in 12 months………………………………………………….16

Military aggression and occupation……………………………………………………………………………………. 17

Socialist Internationalist demand Turkish attacks on Kurds to stop………………………………………….17 SDF announces the outcome of Turkish aggression on November 27……………………………………….18 HPG: 42 soldiers killed in revolutionary guerrilla operation in Metina…………………………………….21 SDF announces the outcome of Turkish aggression on November 28……………………………………….22 Attacks on Rojava continue at full intensity………………………………………………………………………….25 Turkish bombing of Rojava deprives over 21 thousand students their right to education……………..26 SDF announces the outcome of Turkish aggression on November 29……………………………………….27 Turkey continues its attacks against Rojava…………………………………………………………………………..29 Turkish fighter jets bomb civilians in Sulaymaniyah countryside……………………………………………..29 SDF: Turkey shelled 70 villages and farms, destroyed a mosque………………………………………………30 SDF announces the outcome of Turkish aggression on December 2…………………………………………32 YRK: Turkish attack on Mount Asos was directed against civilians…………………………………………..35 SDF announces the outcome of Turkish aggression on December 3…………………………………………35

Chemical weapons………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38

Open letter on allegations of the use of chemical weapons by Turkey calls for action…………………..38

Iran………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 40

Protests continue in Iran and East Kurdistan on day 73…………………………………………………………40

Heyva Sor launches campaign “East Kurdistan is Not Alone”………………………………………………….41

Feminicide…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 41

Arrest warrants issued for 50 women in 14 cities…………………………………………………………………..41 Jailed women journalists: Our arrest was part of a plot…………………………………………………………..42

The İmralı Post #30

TJA activist Zeynep Boğa taken into custody……………………………………………………………………….43 TJA members tortured in police custody in Ankara……………………………………………………………….44 Woman prisoner released after 30 years is taken into custody again………………………………………….44 Police steal assault report from TJA woman while in custody………………………………………………….45 Court sends 8 women activists to prison and places 13 under house arrest………………………………..45 Court accepts indictment against TTB President Fincancı………………………………………………………46 Besê Erzincan: Women must strengthen their struggle…………………………………………………………..47

Human Rights Violations…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 49

HDP commemorates human rights defender Tahir Elçi on 7th anniversary of his murder……………49 Justice For Roboski Initiative: The state does not take steps for justice………………………………………50 Political extermination campaign against the HDP continues…………………………………………………50 Family takes remains of their guerrilla son after a wait of 116 days…………………………………………..51 Sweden extradites Kurdish asylum seeker to Turkey……………………………………………………………….51

Peace…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 52

CJEU announces ruling on the PKK’s action against terror list……………………………………………….52 “The Epic of the PKK” – Pioneering work of revolutionary art……………………………………………….54 Abdi calls on international community to promote a political solution to the Kurdish conflict……..56

Interview………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 57

Josep Nadal: “Erdogan’s shelling and attacks are a flagrant violation of international law”……………57

Opinion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 58

Egyptian writer Abdullah: Silence on attacks is approval of Turkish occupation………………………….58

Who Are We?…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 59 —★—

Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan

Kurdish patriots from Darmstadt take over Freedom for Öcalan Vigil in Strasbourg in its 545th week

ANF|Strasbourg|29 November 2022

The Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Vigil was launched on 25 June 2012 in Strasbourg, demanding free- dom for the Kurdish people’s leader and the end of isolation.

On the 545th week, the vigil was taken over by Kurdish patriots from Darmstadt.

The group includes Kamuran Kılınç, Selim Oltan and Feyzi Özçelik.

The spokesperson of the group, Kamuran Kılınç, said: “Greetings and respect to all the people of Kurdis- tan. Today the Darmstadt group is in Strasbourg to take over the vigil. As it is known, the vigil has been going on here for years. The time period we are going through is a very historical time. As the leadership

3 The İmralı Post #30

said, it was never as critical as this process. Every patriotic Kurd must fulfill his duty as an honourable Kurd and protect the Leadership. Every patriot should stand up for his values and his party. All Kurdish people know that our party is waging a unique struggle all over the world today.”

Kılınç continued: “Our guerrillas have turned the mountains of Zap, Metina, Heftanin and Kurdistan into graves for the enemy. However, we, the Kurds in the diaspora, must support the guerrillas, we must support our party and our Leader. The leadership says that if you are going to be a comrade, you must ful – fill your comradeship. It’s not just about saying ‘I am a comrade’. The most important thing is to be a comrade to one’s own Leader. From here, once again, we send our greetings to our Leader. On this occa- sion, we celebrate the 44th anniversary of our party. Biji Serok Apo! Biji guerrilla! Biji PKK! Biji Kurdis- tan!”

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Asrın Law Office: Öcalan did not meet with the CPT

delegation

ANF|Istanbul|29 November 2022

Asrın Law Office made a written statement regarding the aggravated isolation regime imposed on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan in Imrali F Type High Security Island Prison.

According to the statement, Öcalan did not participate in an interview with the CPT (Committee for the Prevention of Torture) delegation that visited the prison in September 2022.

Asrın Law Office stated that the CPT’s visit only further increased their concerns, for which reason they held a face-to- face meeting with the CPT in October. Yet, CPT officials did not provide the slightest in- formation about the conditions of the Imrali prisoners, nor did they answer any of the lawyers’ questions.

The statement titled “Press Release Regarding Absolute Conditions of Non-Communication in Imrali” in- cludes the following:

“Our client, Mr. Abdullah Öcalan, has been held in High Security Imrali Prison since February 1999, and Mr. Hamili Yıldırım, Mr. Ömer Hayri Konar and Mr. Veysi Aktaş since March 2015. Their conditions of detention deviate from the principles prescribed in national legislation in that they are not entitled to any of their fundamental rights.

Although we have filed numerous applications and complaints regarding this issue, our clients’ legal rights have not been established until date. The last physical contact with them occurred within the scope of a family visit on March 3, 2020. Our clients were not allowed any physical contact with the outside world after that date. Forced by extraordinary circumstances, the authorities exceptionally granted permission for a phone call on March 25, 2021, only one year after the last visit. Our clients Mr. Ömer Hayri Konar and Mr. Veysi Aktaş boycotted the phone call in protest against the isolation they were subjected to. Mr.

4 The İmralı Post #30 Öcalan’s phone call with his brother was aborted early due to interruption. After this problematic contact,

it has not been possible to access any confirmed information about our clients.

For 20 months after these phone calls, our clients have been completely isolated from the outside world and held in absolute incommunicado detention, a state of affairs that contravenes universal legal standards and national legislation, amounting to torture and ill-treatment. Although we have made many attempts to draw attention to the consequences caused or likely to be caused by this treatment and to seek redress for it, unfortunately, it has not been possible for us to obtain any results.

We have filed complaints and appealed to the Ombudsman’s Office, the Human Rights Inquiry Commis- sion of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey, the Ministry of Justice and its relevant departments, as well as many non-governmental organizations.

A problem of law and democracy

We have also lodged an application with the European Court of Human Rights, the United Nations Hu- man Rights Committee and its sub-units set up to combat torture. Largely left unanswered, these applica- tions have not yielded any tangible results in terms of changing the isolation practices in İmralı Prison.

In this respect, we would like to remind that the then Minister of Justice made a statement in 2019, after receiving the members of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), declaring that there were no obstacles to the inmates of the prison receiving visitors. At that time, the struggle against isolation had taken the form of hunger strikes and its righteousness was recognized by democratic public opinion. However, we would like to emphasize that this is a problem of law and democracy, and therefore we expect the relevant groups, who promised that they would take over the struggle, to make good on their promises.

Reports are not shared with the public

Neither by domestic nor by international legal standards can a prison be completely sealed off from the outside world. A penal and execution institution that cannot be visited by its inmates’ lawyers and family members and where inmates’ right to correspondence and telephone calls is not recognized is simply unac- ceptable. A prisoner cannot be completely prevented from contact with a lawyer. There is a legal obligation that requires authorities to allow a minimum communication channel under all circumstances. However, despite this, we have been prevented from even receiving news from our clients for 20 months. The reports of the Provincial Prison Monitoring Boards, which are required by law to visit the prison every 2 months and report their observations and findings on the spot, are not shared with the public.

No information obtained for 20 months

We do not have information as to our clients’ access to information, whether the books supplied to them are subject to censorship and restrictions, how long it takes until they receive daily newspapers and maga- zines, and their access to television and radio. We are moreover aware that the disciplinary penalties that are presented as the legal basis for banning their right to receive visitors have also been used to interfere with our clients’ right to engage in joint activities. The “specious” and unacceptable nature of the disci- plinary penalties has been emphasized by the CPT in its reports. In short, due to unlawful tendencies and

5 The İmralı Post #30

political decisions, we have not been able to obtain any information for 20 months about the treatment and material conditions of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan and our other clients who are being held with him in İm- ralı Prison.

The CPT visit further increased our concerns

Meanwhile, the only relevant occasion that could have resolved our concerns about the state of absolute isolation in the prison was the CPT’s visit to Turkey on September 20-29, 2022. In this visit, which fo- cused on removal centers, the CPT included İmralı, although this was not part of its routine schedule.

Although such a visit was at the center of our demands to the CPT, the way this visit actually played out, both before and after, has only further increased our concerns. For this reason, we held a face-to- face meeting with the CPT, after the latter responded favorably to our request for an appointment, on October 13, 2022. In this meeting, CPT officials did not provide the slightest information about the conditions of our clients, nor did they answer any of our questions. During the meeting, which lasted approximately 45 minutes, the officials reminded us of the procedures that the CPT is bound by, informing us that they would prepare a report on their visit and submit it to Turkey, and that they could only share this report with the public with Turkey’s approval. We know from past experience that this procedure takes one to one and a half years to complete. However, under current circumstances, where we are unable to receive any news whatsoever from our clients, such a period of time may imply irreparable damage. While we are certainly aware of the conventions and procedures binding the CPT, we also know that this does not pre- vent the CPT from providing information about the conditions of detention of our clients, from whom we have not heard for 20 months.

Furthermore, it has been rumored that during the CPT’s visit to İmralı Island in September 2022, Mr. Öcalan did not participate in an interview with the delegation. Unfortunately, we have not been able to confirm this rumor during our meeting with the CPT. The CPT’s visits quite essentially involve interviews held with prisoners in private. If these rumors turned out to be true, this would leave the CPT’s visits all the more controversial. For the aforementioned reasons, rather than bringing any relief, both the CPT’s last visit and our last meeting with the CPT have increased our concerns. Its founding values and the in- ternational law to which it is bound require the CPT to provide information about its visit to İmralı Is – land, which is under its competence.

A requirement of constitutional rights and universal law

Our periodic briefings and requests to the CPT are ongoing. Besides, we have applied to the Ministry of Justice to meet with the minister to convey the seriousness of the situation and to share the available data. We continue to file regular applications to the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Execution Judge’s Office, and the prison administration for our clients in İmralı Prison to be allowed to see their lawyers.

In this context, as a requirement of constitutional rights and universal law, we continue to demand and in- sist that our clients are allowed to see their lawyers immediately, that the relevant institutions respond pos- itively to our requests and provide the necessary information as required by their duties. We present to- day’s statement to the public in the belief that everyone supporting fundamental rights and freedoms will

6 The İmralı Post #30 closely follow developments and act with the necessary sensitivity to overcome this inhumane state of af-

fairs.”

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Lawyer Bilmez: We must meet with our client Abdullah Öcalan immediately
Zeynep Kuray|Istanbul|1 December 2022

The aggravated isolation imposed on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan in the Imrali Prison has received widespread media coverage after the Asrın Law Office revealed that Öcalan apparently did not meet with the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) delegation.

Interviewed by ANF, İbrahim Bilmez, one of the lawyers of Asrın Law Office that advocates the Kurdish leader, emphasized that they must meet with their client as soon as possible in order to prevent the increas- ing rumours and speculation about the İmralı prison.

‘Our requests have not been answered for 20 months’

Lawyer Bilmez recalled that they have not heard from their clients in the İmralı prison for 20 months, an unprecedented practice in a state of law. Bilmez noted that he and his colleagues have submitted repeated official requests to various state institutions during this period. “We have appealed to the Ombudsman Office, the Human Rights Inquiry Commission of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey, the Ministry of Justice and related departments, as well as Euro- pean Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), United Nations Human Rights Committee. However, our re- quests have remained unanswered to a large extent,” the lawyer said.

‘Turkey disregards the international conventions it signed’

Bilmez said that hundreds of lawyers from Turkey, Europe and the Middle East have also appealed to Turkish authorities to meet Öcalan. He added that several other institutions such as ÖHD, İHD and TİHV have submitted applications to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, following the ECtHR’s ruling on the ‘Right to Hope’ concerning Öcalan in 2014. However, in its reply to the Commit- tee of Ministers, Turkey, which did not fulfill the requirements of the ECtHR judgment, insisted that Öcalan was exempted from the Right to Hope, disregarding even the very international conventions it signed.

Bilmez pointed out that the ECtHR had already condemned Turkey in 2014 precisely over this very ex- emption from the Right of Hope. “Turkey, with its latest response on the Right to Hope, is literally mak- ing fun of the Committee of Ministers in defiance of universal values of law. There is no other explana- tion. Turkey has been doing this since 2014. Turkey has continued its tactics of delaying and extending things over a period of time. But the Committee of Ministers is also preparing the ground for this, as it

7 The İmralı Post #30 has been turning a blind eye to Turkey’s action for 8 years. Both Turkey and the Council of Europe dis –

criminate against Mr. Öcalan and other prisoners who received aggravated life imprisonment.”

‘We received no replay from the CPT’

Noting that the CPT paid a non-scheduled visit to the İmralı prison in September 2022,

Bilmez said that they were pleased to learn about the visit, but they were also worried over a possible nega- tive development. He added that they requested and held a meeting with the CPT in Strasbourg after a while to express their concern over the CPT visit. Bilmez said that their concerns were not addressed dur- ing the meeting, and they could not get an answer to any of their questions. He added that their concerns increased further after hearing that Öcalan might have not met with the CPT delegation.

‘We must meet with Öcalan immediately’

The lawyer emphasized that this atmosphere of uncertainty stemmed from the isolation executed in the Imrali prison, leading to constant speculation on the matter. He underlined that they must meet with their client as soon as possible in order to prevent murky waters. “Mr. Öcalan already said in his last phone call with his brother that he wanted to talk to us, his lawyers. This is the most certain fact for us. We also want Mr. Öcalan to enjoy his right to meet with his lawyers, which is a most fundamental legal right.”

Bilmez stated that the situation in the Imrali prison can neither be explained by laws nor by the constitu – tion, emphasizing the reality of a completely isolated prison where no lawyers, family members or non- governmental organizations are allowed to enter. “Every 3 months, the Imrali Prison administration sys- tematically imposes a ban on family visits and the prison disciplinary board issues disciplinary punish- ments. Every 6 months, a Bursa court issues a decision to ban lawyers. Turkey cannot tolerate this lawless- ness any longer. This isolation and the deadlock on the Kurdish question must be halted as soon as possi- ble. It is well known what Mr. Öcalan has done and can do to come up with a solution to the Kurdish question. His good intentions and political vigour are also known by the state. The government should not approach the Kurdish question from the perspective of winning elections, as the Kurdish issue is Tur- key’s most structural problem. What needs to be done to resolve this issue is obvious; isolation policies should be lifted, and a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question should be promoted.”

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A poem to Abdullah Öcalan to mark the 44th anniversary of the PKK
ANF|London|1 December 2022

Activist Estella Schmid wrote a poem to Abdullah Öcalan to mark the 44th anniversary of the PKK on 27 November 2022.

8 The İmralı Post #30

A poem to Abdullah Öcalan

You taught me
what is inevitable in life
for new life to grow: it’s a tiny
sun whose roots I’ll have to water well
and encourage it to deploy
its own attack against the weeds.
Tiny, wretched bread of solidarity, a banner against the cold, fresh water for the blood; maternal elements that should not stray far
from the heart.
Against melancholy, trust; against
despair,
the voice of the people
rattling the windows of the secret house.
To discover,
decipher
articulate,
set the motion:
the ancient duties of fighters and liberators
now become our obligations
and are out and about measuring our steps:
from breakfast to sleep,
from stealth to stealth,

9 The İmralı Post #30 from action to action
from life to life.

Background

Estella Schmid is a political activist. Since the mid 1980s she has been active in campaigns in solidarity with the Kurdish people’s struggle for self-determination and worked in cooperation with the Kurdish freedom movement.

She is the Co-Founder of the Peace in Kurdistan Campaign (1994) and the Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAM- PACC, 2001).

She was also a co-founder of the first Kurdish solidarity campaign in the UK, the Kurdistan Solidarity Committee in 1989 and the Kurdistan Information Centre 1991; her other initiatives have included the Ilisu Dam Campaign (1997) and the Refugee Project (2003).

Estella studied philosophy, history and theatre at the university in Vienna. She has worked as a director, producer and playwright with theatre companies in Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Dusseldorf, New York and London. She has lived in London since 1974.

—★—

105 lawyers apply to Diyarbakır Bar Association to take action against Öcalan’s isolation
ANF|Amed|2 December 2022

The Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Diyarbakır (Amed) Branch held a press conference ex- pressing concern over the situation of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan who has been held in absolute in- communicado detention on the prison island of Imrali since February 1999, along with Hamili Yıldırım, Ömer Hayri Konar and Veysi Aktaş since March 2015.

Numerous lawyers participated in the press conference where ÖHD Amed Branch Co-Chair Muharrem Şahin read out a statement, saying the following:

“All relevant institutions and authorities, mainly the Bar Associations, the Union of Turkish Bar Associa- tions and the Ministry of Justice, should be sensitive and fulfil their responsibilities effectively to end the isolation implemented in İmralı F Type High Security Closed Prison, to lift the ban on lawyer visits and to secure the the attorneyship profession through granting prisoners’ rights offered by domestic and interna- tional laws.

The Imrali island prison was built specifically for Abdullah Öcalan in February 1999, in defiance of do- mestic and international law. Since then, it has been managed through an exclusive status and practices.

10 The İmralı Post #30 Mr. Hamili Yıldırım, Mr. Ömer Hayri Konar and Mr. Veysi Aktaş, who are held in the same prison as Mr.

Öcalan, have also been subjected to aggravated isolation conditions during their stay on the island.

Since 27 July 2011, no lawyer meetings have been held with Mr. Abdullah Öcalan except for a few lawyers’ meetings held between May-August 2019. Mr. Öcalan has had only a few family visits since 2014. He has been able to make two phone calls so far and his last phone call on March 25, 2021 was in – terrupted in a very short time. There has been no communication with Öcalan since March 25, 2021.

Öcalan cannot even enjoy his most basic legal rights. Despite explicit provisions in Turkish criminal proce- dures, requests to meet Öcalan are rejected in an unfair and unlawful manner. Legal rules are general norms that apply to everyone. However, the restriction or non-implementation of these rights to the detri- ment of certain groups and individuals is not only against national and international legislation, but also against the principle of equality. Mr. Öcalan has the same rights as convicts in other prisons. Otherwise, there would be neither a principle of equality nor a rule of law. The people who are most committed to the legal order are law practitioners and administrators. However, it is obvious that the law enforcement and prison administrations are the ones that commit the most serious violations under the current circum- stances.

In light of the above-mentioned facts, it is a legal and humanitarian obligation for all relevant institutions and authorities, mainly the Bar Associations, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and the Ministry of Justice, to uphold their responsibilities to end the isolation executed in Imralı F Type High Security Closed Prison, to lift the ban on lawyer visits and to secure the the attorneyship profession through grant – ing prisoners’ rights offered by domestic and international laws.”

Şahin added that the ÖHD applied, together with 105 lawyers, to the Diyarbakır Bar Association to take action against the isolation.

—★—

Speakers at KNK congress call to increase joint struggle against

Imrali isolation and attacks

ANF|3 December 2022

The 21st congress of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) started with the participation of hundreds of delegates and representatives of Kurdistan political parties.

KNK co-chairs Zeyneb Murad and Ahmet Karamus, who opened the congress, stated that a national atti- tude against the Turkish invasion was inevitable.

The Kurdistan National Congress (KNK), which held its founding congress in Europe on 26 May 1999, has convened to hold its 21st congress. Representatives of political parties, intellectuals, writers, politicians from the 4 parts of Kurdistan, as well as observers, attended the congress.

11 The İmralı Post #30

The congress underlined the importance of the protests in Iran and Rojhilat, under the slogan “Jin jiyan Azadi”, and said that it is important to stand against the attacks by the Turkish in South Kurdistan and that it is a “national duty to defend Rojava”.

Common fight against the attacks

The opening speech of the congress was made by Zübeyir Aydar on behalf of the Organizing Committee. Stating that they met at an important time, Aydar emphasized the importance of the congress.

The chair of the Congress, Adem Uzun, stated that the Kurds are going through an important period and added: “Today, a comprehensive genocidal attack is taking place against our people. As Kurds, let us de- cide to fight together against these attacks.”

‘Let’s end the isolation imposed on the Kurdish people’s Leader’

Co-chairs Zeyneb Murad and Ahmet Karamus spoke at the congress, which will last until Sunday.

Referring to the struggle of the Kurdish women, Murad said: “The Kurdish enemies are carrying out geno- cide. There are attacks against Rojava and South Kurdistan. Genocide against our people is taking place in Iran. There is a great isolation imposed on Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan. As a people, we must fight together against all these attacks, and especially against isolation.”

‘Our land is occupied’

Co-chair Ahmet Karamus, on the other hand, touched upon the developments in the Middle East and Kurdistan in his speech. Saying that wars deepen the crises in the world as well as in the Middle East, Karamus said: “Unfortunately, we cannot talk about peace and stability in some parts of the world today. This includes our lands. Because the biggest problem in the Middle East is the Kurdish problem. Peace and stability will not come to the Middle East without solving the Kurdish problem. This needs to be known. The main source of these problems is the genocidal policy of the Iranian and Turkish states. They have occupied and exploited most of the lands of Kurdistan. This has been going on for hundreds of years. The solution is clear. The Kurds want to live in peace and stability with other peoples in the Middle East.”

KONGRA-GEL co-chair Remzi Kartal spoke at the congress, while KCK Executive Council co-chair Cemil Bayık and PKK Executive Committee Member Murat Karayılan sent a message.

Remzi Kartal said: “Our struggle will continue until the colonial system collapses and the Lausanne status, which ignores the existence of the Kurds, is destroyed. As the people’s defense forces, we will resist until our people are liberated.”

“Our people struggle to end the heritage of the Lausanne Treaty”

Pointing out that the KNK Congress took place in an important period, Kartal said: “We are entering 2023 with attacks. This year is the 100th anniversary of Lausanne. Our people are waging a great struggle in all four parts of Kurdistan for the end of the heritage of Lausanne and for a free system to come to life. All Kurdish parties should be a part of this struggle carried out by the people. Today, the North Kurdistan

12 The İmralı Post #30 guerrillas are carrying out great resistance. People are struggling. Again, Leader Apo is waging a great battle

of will.

Kurdish women are leading the struggle

Referring to the struggle of Kurdish women, Kartal said: “The revolution led by Kurdish women is a refer- ence for women around the world today. This revolution started in Rojava and continues today in Rojhi- lat. The nation-states of the region are swaying. This is great news.”

Criticizing the KDP, which acted together with the Turkish invaders in their war of occupation and geno- cide, the KONGRA-GEL co-chair said that the Kurdish Freedom Movement continued its resistance.

—★—

Prisons in Turkey

Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent released from prison after more than six years

ANF|30 November 2022

Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent has been released from prison after six and a half years. In front of the prison in Karakoçan, in the Elazığ province, he was welcomed by relatives and colleagues and made a short statement. “I don’t see getting out of prison as freedom,” Türfent said. “Freedom is something else.” Being outside closed walls doesn’t mean freedom.”

Referring to the numerous ill prisoners in Turkey who have been imprisoned for decades, Türfent said: “I was arrested because my reporting disturbed the government. Years have passed since then, but the govern- ment’s view of journalists has not changed. Recently, nine colleagues have been arrested in Ankara. That shows from which angle the government is looking at the media. However, I don’t see it as just a govern- ment issue. The organizations that stand up for human rights in Turkey also have a problem. When a jour- nalist is arrested in the West, the reaction is like the end of the world. But if it’s a Kurdish journalist, no one bats an eyelid. I criticize that.”

Since June, 26 employees of Kurdish media have been arrested in Turkey.

PEN International and MLSA welcome Nedim Türfent’s release

PEN International and the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) have welcomed the release of Nedim Türfent. The journalist was arrested on 12 May 2016 and subsequently sentenced to eight years

13 The İmralı Post #30 and nine months in prison on fabricated terrorism charges. Türfent has spent over 2,400 days behind bars

and was made an honorary member of PEN England and PEN Melbourne while in prison.

Ma Thida, Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee said: “The PEN Community wel- comes the long-awaited release of Nedim Türfent, although he should have never spent a single day in prison. His ordeal is a painful reminder of the difficult situation for freedom of expression in Türkiye and the hefty price writers and journalists are paying merely for speaking out. Today, as we celebrate Türfent’s freedom, we also remember all those still held in Türkiye for peacefully expressing their views. We once again urge the authorities to release them immediately and unconditionally.’

Barış Altıntaş, Co-Chair of the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) said: “Exposing an unlawful treatment of civilians should have been awarded a journalism prize, it turned into a seven-year ordeal in- stead. However, we are proud that Nedim Türfent continued to write and create, showing that his impris- onment, which intended to silence him, did not achieve that end. We know we will continue to see this inspiring courage and we wholeheartedly welcome Nedim back to freedom.”

—★—

Court keeps Gökhan Yıldırım in prison despite suspension of his sentence
Zeynep Kuray|Istanbul|1 December 2022

Gökhan Yıldırım was released on September 5, 2022, on the 256th day of his death fast for a fair trial in Tekirdağ No. 1 F Type Prison after a court decided to postpone his execution for 6 months. However, Yıldırım has been rearrested before the 6-months period is over. Although the objection of the lawyers of the People’s Law Office against his arbitrary detention was accepted by a court, his release was blocked by the Tekirdağ 1st High Criminal Court upon the prosecutor’s objection. Speaking to ANF, Yıldırım’s lawyer, Seda Şaraldı pointed out that the court prioritized the so-called “public security” based on a police report, instead of advocating the right to life. For Şaraldı, the court officially decided that Yıldırım can die in prison.

‘Illegal procedure applied to Yildirim!’

Şaraldı pointed out that the prosecutor in Tekirdağ applied an illegal procedure to Yıldırım. “When the decision to postpone the execution of Gökhan was issued, the prosecutor asked the Istanbul Police to monitor Gökhan constantly. Gökhan was already under the constant surveillance of the Istanbul police. He was even watched when he went to his mother’s funeral. This being the case, Tekirdağ Police Depart – ment prepared a report that included Gökhan’s social media posts and press statements, claiming that Gökhan posed a concrete threat to public security. Upon this report, the decision to postpone the execu- tion was lifted. The main point here is whether Gökhan poses a threat to public safety should have been asked before the decision to postpone the execution, yet this was not done.”

14 The İmralı Post #30 ‘Court prioritized public safety over right to life’

Şaraldı pointed out that the objection made by his lawyers to this arrest was accepted by the court, but the decision to postpone his execution was lifted after the prosecutor objected to the Tekirdağ 1st High Crimi- nal Court. Şaraldı emphasized that his client is jailed by constant interventions and illegal decisions, al- though there is no legal basis for his detention. “The Tekirdağ 1st High Criminal Court accepted that Gökhan’s right to life was violated but prioritized public safety. The court says ‘let him die,” Şaraldı said.

‘Isolation can be life-threatening for Gökhan!’

Şaraldı said that she is preparing to submit an individual application to the Constitutional Court. She pointed out that his client Yıldırım, who barely walks alone due to constant dizziness, has been kept in a solitary isolation cell in Silivri Prison No. 9 for a week and cannot meet his needs alone. Şaraldı warned that the cell where Gökhan was staying had two floors and a fall from stairs could be life-threatening for him. She added that the prisoner’s treatment remained unfinished in the meantime. “Gökhan did not want to use the neuropathic medication given to him and decided to try other treatments. Yet, it has be- come impossible to try these treatments in prison.”

Şaraldı insisted that the judicial institutions that arbitrarily revoked the decision to postpone his execution will be responsible for any negative outcome that may happen to her client.

—★—

HDP Van MP says that prisoners in Erzurum Dumlu High

Security jail feel they are in danger

ANF|Ankara|2 December 2022

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Van MP Tayip Temel brought the rights violations in Erzurum Dumlu No. 1 High Security Prison to the agenda of the Parliament.

Temel, who submitted a parliamentary question to the Turkish Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ, under- lined that prisons are places where violations of rights are most common. Reminding that prisoners con- tinue to die due to illness and other issues, the motion said: “There are many violations of rights such as deportations, torture and ill-treatment, isolation, obstacle to seeing families, denial of communication rights, and unfair disciplinary investigations.”

The motion included a letter sent by a prisoner from Erzurum Dumlu High Security Prison No. 1 to Temel. “New violations of rights are added every day. Although there are iron bars on the windows of the wards, the prisoner who wrote the letter said that additional wire fences were installed on the windows on 3 November 2022. The prisoner said: ‘Living 22.5 hours a day, deprived of daylight, under artificial light- ing, reveals the ‘inhumanity’ we are subjected to in a striking way.’”

15 The İmralı Post #30

Noting that he talked to the 2nd director of the prison on the phone, Temel said: “In the phone call we made, we were informed that wire fences were attached to the windows as a requirement of the High Se – curity Prison project and within the knowledge of the ministry. It is an inhuman and degrading isolation practice, which goes against the purpose of the law of execution and aims to completely break the person’s relationship with society. Your Ministry should immediately put an end to the application of wire mesh on the ward windows. On the other hand, a report was taken about the prisoners who objected to this prac- tice. It was written in the minutes that the slogans ‘Down with the Republic of Turkey, down with the government, freedom for Demirtaş’ were shouted. However, the prisoner stated that they did not shout these slogans and stated that their life was in danger.

—★—

Three more prisoners join indefinite hunger strike against

isolation in Konya

ANF|Konya|2 December 2022

Dozens of political prisoners in Konya Ereğli High Security Prison started a 10-day indefinite alternating hunger strike on 4 October.

The strike has been going on indefinitely and irreversibly since 16 November.

Prisoners Ibrahim Sütcü, Mehmet İşiktaş and Dılhas Kılıçoğlu, announced that they had joined the hunger strike in a phone call with their families.

Mehmet İşiktaş told his family: “The violations of rights and the severe isolation here have become more and more severe, and our indefinite and non-alternating hunger strike is growing. Today, me and our other two friends, Dılhas Kılıçoğlu and İbrahim Sütcü, joined the hunger strike. The prison does not re- spond to our demands in any way. We are still all kept in solitary cells. There are ill and seriously ill pa- tients, we have friends without arms, and they cannot even meet their basic needs in single cells. Ventila- tion time is too short. We can’t breathe. The food is so bad that it can’t be eaten. We can’t even use our own money. When we buy food from the canteen, we have a limit on what we can buy. These dishes be- long to the guards; they say you can’t have them.”

Isiktas said the following about the oppression they were subjected to: “The guards tell us that if we starve ourselves it is our problem and they don’t care. They try to isolate us completely from life and try to break our will.”

—★—

16 The İmralı Post #30 Prisoner kept behind bars for 4 years despite being seriously ill

dies

ANF|Izmir|3 December 2022

Ahmet Sılık, who was arrested despite being seriously ill and kept in prison for 4 years, died at the age of 78.

Sılık, who was not released for about 4 years despite a report saying that he could “not stay in prison”, was eventually released on 7 May 2021.

Sılık, who was bedridden at home after his release, passed away on Friday afternoon in his home in Bayraklı district.

Sılık was buried in Bayraklı Doğançay Cemetery.

Background

Ahmet Sılık was arrested on charges of “aiding a terrorist organization”, 4 days after he was taken into cus- tody in Bayraklı district on 4 November 2011. He was released on 19 October 2012 after being impris- oned for nearly a year. He was sentenced to 6 years, 6 months and 22 days in prison at the trial before the 1st High Criminal Court, and his sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court of Appeals on 21 February 2017. Sılık was arrested again on the same day. He was imprisoned in Izmir Kırıklar, Şakran and finally Menemen R Type Closed Prison.

Sılık, who was arrested at the age of 74, had previously suffered from various diseases such as prostate, dia – betes, heart and high blood pressure. He had two separate surgeries because his blood vessels to the brain were blocked. He suffered a partial paralysis after his health deteriorated in prison. He then begun to lost his memory and could not meet his needs. He was not released despite the Forensic Medicine Institute’s (ATK) report confirmed that he could “not live alone”.

The man remained in prison for about 4 years, before being eventually released on 7 May 2021, after a re- port by the Administrative Observation Board. After his release, Sılık lived bedridden at home.

—★—

At least 73 prisoners died in jails across Turkey in 12 months

ANF|Ankara|3 December 2022

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy, Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, said that at least 73 prisoners, in- cluding three women, died in prisons across Turkey between 1 December 2021 and 1 December 2022.

17 The İmralı Post #30 Thirty-nine of the prisoners who died were suffering from some illness and 34 of them killed themselves,

according to the authorities, but Gergerlioğlu called these “suspicious deaths.”

Gergerlioğlu said: “Prisoners lose their lives because there are no sufficient means of physical or psycholog- ical treatment. The situation is very bad in prisons and deaths may increase in terms of ill prisoners. I should also stress that suicides may also increase due to physical and psychological reasons.”

According to the Human Rights Association, there are 1,517 ill prisoners in Turkey’s jails and 651 of them are seriously ill.

—★—

Military aggression and occupation

Socialist Internationalist demand Turkish attacks on Kurds to stop

ANF|Madrid|28 November 2022
The PYD co-chair, Asya Abdullah, demanded at the XXVI SI Congress in Madrid, that the organiza-

tion take a firm stance against Turkish aggression of Rojava.

The Congress was held in Madrid and ended on Sunday. The Congress approved a motion demanding Turkey to immediately end all military operations against Kurds.

The motion reads as follows: “The ongoing war against the Kurdish people in all parts of Kurdistan for decades, has recently entered a dangerous historical turning point that threatens the existence of the Kur- dish people, and undermines security and stability in this part of the world.

The nation who was able to defeat the fiercest terrorist organization in human history (ISIS) in Iraqi Kur- distan and Rojava today is facing a war of initiation, aimed at destroying the Kurdish society with all its components, from the cultural and civilizational aspects, as well as destroying the infrastructure in addi- tion to the settlements policy that leads to demographic change in the region, which it increases the suffer- ing of the Kurdish people.

The Socialist International is the organization for peace and democracy in all parts of the world, so stand in solidarity with the Kurdish people in their struggle for their legitimate rights. We demand the cessation of all kinds of war against the Kurdish nation, military, cultural and economic, and we stress that there is no military solution to this issue. We demand an immediate stop to all military operations because it in- creases the opportunity for ISIS to regroup. The solution to this issue is possible only through political di-

18 The İmralı Post #30 alogue between all parties. Such a solution will bring security and stability to the region and this in turn

will reflect positively on the whole world in general and Europe in particular.”

—★—

SDF announces the outcome of Turkish aggression on

November 27

ANF|28 November 2022

The Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the balance sheet of Turkish attacks against North-East Syria on November 27, Sunday.

The Turkish occupation continues its aggressions against NE Syria for the eighth day in a row. More than 90 villages and towns were subjected to bombardment by warplanes, artillery, and tanks, the SDF said.

“This aggression confirms the barbaric mentality of the Turkish occupation, which is targeting the popu- lated areas and the livelihood of millions of indigenous people, displacing them from their safe regions where they used to live in dignity,” the SDF statement read.

An additional outcome of November 26, 2022

Al Jazeera Region
Tal Tamir
The villages targeted: Aboush, Sheikh Ali, Dardara, Al-Kuzliya, and Tal Al-Laban. Weapons used: 10 artillery shells.
Euphrates Region
Kobane
The villages targeted: Kuran, Khan, Zor Maghar, Buban, and Saftak.
Weapons used: 12 artillery shells and DShK weapons.
Gri Spi / Tal Abyad
The villages targeted: Tal Khan/Abu Nituna and Gri Qartal.
Weapons used: artillery and mortar shells, and DShK weapons.

19 The İmralı Post #30 Ain Isa
The villages targeted: Al-Fatsa, Kureiha, and near Ain Issa silos.
Weapons used: 3 artillery shells and 3 mortar shells.

Manbij

The villages targeted: Qurt Wiran, Karhuke, Qawkle, al-Jat, Aoun al-Dadat, and al-Hawshariya. Weapons used: 7 artillery shells and 14 mortar shells.
Al-Terwaziya
The countryside of al-Kantari town was targeted by 15 artillery shells.

The outcome of November 27, 2022

Afrin and Al-Shahba Region

The villages and areas of Meng Airport, al-Malikiyah, Maranaz, and Al-Shawargha were subjected to sev- eral air raids by Turkish warplanes.

Weapons used: several warplane raids

In addition, the village of Sheikh Issa in Tal Rif ’at town was targeted by a UAV strike.

The villages of Ziwan, Khirbet al-Sha’ala, Ain Daqna, Bayloniya, Sheikh Issa, Al-Wardia, Tal al-Madiq, Tal Mayassa, Tal Bineh/Ibbin, Binh/Ibin, Soganake, Ash-Shawargha, Maranaz, Alqmiya, Tat Marrash, al-Ma- likiyah, Aqiba, al-Ziyarah, and Tanab were targeted with more than 396 artillery shells, 96 mortar shells and explosive bombs.

Thebrutalshellingresultedintheinjuryofa9-year-oldchildinthe Aqibavillage,andinTannabvillage, 3 members of the Damascus government forces lost their lives.

Al Jazeera Region
Tal Tamir
The villages targeted: al-Kuzliya, Tal al-Laban, and Tal Tawil
Weapons used: artillery shelling
Zarkan
The villages and towns targeted: Bobi, Nawaita, Rubai’at, and the town of Zarkan.

20 The İmralı Post #30

Weapons used: 37 artillery shells and DShK weapons.

The town of “Zarkan” was subjected to 3 UAV airstrikes.

In response to these attacks, our forces targeted, with Katyusha rockets and mortar shells, the bases of the occupation and its mercenaries in the villages of “Bab al-Khair, Abdel Hay, and Hamdoush.

Euphrates Region

Kobane

The villages and towns targeted: Gharib, Qaramog, Jisan, Kuran Khan, kultep, Koreh, Zor Maghar, Daqaqan, Ziyara, Charqli, Jishan, Kanya Korda, Euphrates River, and the town of Al-Shuyoukh Fawqani.

Weapons used: 17 artillery shells, 3 mortar shells, and 7 tank shells, resulted in injuring a child in the vil- lage of Zor Maghar.

Gri Spi / Tal Abyad

The villages targeted: Al-Hoshan, Al-Debs, Sayda, Abu Netuna, Kur Hassan, Sulaibiya, Al-Arida, Zenobia, and Ain Issa camp.

Weapons used: artillery and mortar shells.

Ain Isa

The eastern side of Ain Isa was targeted by 4 artillery shells.

Manbij

The villages targeted: Al-Jamousiya, Al-Hawshariyya, Al-Dandaniya, Korhuke, and Al-Kawadir. Weapons used: 16 mortar shells.
Al-Terwaziya
Qasr Asma was targeted with artillery shells.

—★—

21 The İmralı Post #30 HPG: 42 soldiers killed in revolutionary guerrilla operation in

Metina

ANF|Behdinan|28 November 2022

In the last two days, at least 49 members of the Turkish occupation forces in Southern Kurdistan have been killed in guerrilla attacks – 42 of them alone in the course of a spectacular retaliation operation by the People’s Defence Forces (HPG) and Free Women’s Troops (YJA Star) on Saturday. This is according to a review of the war in the Medya Defence Zones released by the HPG Press Office on Monday. ANF had reported on Sunday about the “revolutionary guerrilla operation” in Metîna, the details of which have been announced today.

“Our forces carried out this revolutionary operation in the Girê Hekarî resistance area in order to celebrate the founding anniversary of our party on the one hand and to avenge all our friends and companions who died as a result of the use of chemical weapons and banned bombs in the person of Nurî Yekta, a member of the Metîna Area Command. With the spirit of Apoism, our professional units stormed the invaders’ po- sitions in a coordinated manner. Various guerrilla tactics were employed, including ambush-type offensive attacks, infiltrations, sniper actions and the use of heavy weapons.

Girê Hekarî is one of the strategic hills in Metîna, where the guerrillas operate from underground tunnels. At the same time, it is the link between smaller massifs that play an important role in operational-tactical defence. Here, in the hills of Şehîd Akif and Şehîd Zemanî, Turkish occupation forces had raised several military positions. The guerrillas’ goal was to overrun them. They have now more than succeeded.

Three guerrillas fell in Action

The operation started with an assault on Hill Şehîd Zemanî. The participating guerrillas spread out on three fronts and attacked simultaneously with hand grenades and semi-automatic weapons. “With a high offensive force, all seventeen positions were taken and the invaders in them were punished. The Hill Şehîd Zemanî came completely under the control of our forces, who seized two infantry machine guns set up here and used them against the enemy. Following the operation, both weapons were destroyed. Rifles as well as ammunition belonging to the enemy were also seized and fired against the occupying forces. The army provisions found here were completely destroyed.” The HPG said that three of their guerrillas fell as martyrs in the storming of the Girê Şehîd Zemanî; the front commander Amed and guerrilla fighters Binevş and Baran. Their full identities will be announced by the HPG at a later date.

The operation continued with guerrilla actions against Turkish military positions on the Şehîd Akîf and Şehîd Viyan hills. Here the guerrillas struck the invaders from two sides, killing at least five soldiers.

All other military personnel, including senior commanders, at the Şehîd Zemanî hill were killed. Among the destroyed war equipment, according to a list provided by the HPG, is a grenade launcher, two camera surveillance systems and various small arms. Among other things, four “national infantry rifles” of the Turkish army, four associated telescopes for sighting, a grenade launcher, a sniper rifle and a bayonet with the engraved name “Oğuzhan Alp” were confiscated.

22 The İmralı Post #30 The HPG pointed out that the Turkish army tried unsuccessfully to stop the guerrilla operation with air

strikes and artillery attacks against the fighting area.

Military movement detectors destroyed

At Girê Cûdi, the HPG and YJA Star guerrillas on Saturday destroyed military movement detectors laid in the area to stop infiltrations of the guerrillas.

On Sunday, the guerrillas struck the invaders again in the same area. Mobile units first shelled an enemy camp with heavy weapons. In a second action, a soldier was shot dead by a female guerrilla sniper. The third action at Girê Cûdî resulted in the death of a soldier while another two were injured.

Helicopter struck in Zap

In the Zap region, the guerrillas also took action against Turkish occupation forces on Sunday. In the Sîda area, a mobile unit first fired on a group of soldiers in open terrain, killing three of them and injuring oth – ers. Later, an attack helicopter came under fire during an attack flight and was forced to turn back. In Çemço, a coordinated two-front action targeted the Turkish troops in the vicinity of the Şehîd Adil de- fense area. Another two soldiers were killed here.

Attacks by the Turkish army

Regarding the continued attacks by the Turkish army, the HPG said that the guerrilla areas in Southern Kurdistan were attacked six times with prohibited bombs and chemical warfare agents over the weekend. In addition, 16 air strikes by combat helicopters were recorded. In addition, dozens of attacks with how- itzers, mortars, tanks and heavy weapons targeted the areas of Girê Cûdi, Girê Amêdî, Kurojahro, Saca, Girê Hekarî, Sîda, Çemço and Girê FM.

—★—

SDF announces the outcome of Turkish aggression on

November 28

ANF|29 November 2022

The Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the balance sheet of Turkish attacks against North-East Syria on November 28, Monday.

“The Turkish occupation continues its treacherous attacks against the regions of north and eastern Syria, using all kinds of weapons, from warplanes and UAV strikes to shelling with heavy artillery, mortars, and tanks, targeting civilian homes and service facilities, such as a hospital in the village of Qaramog, in Kobane countryside,” said the SDF statement on Tuesday.

23 The İmralı Post #30

The SDF pointed out that since the beginning of its aggression, the Turkish state has focused attacks on civilians, committed massacres, and damaged the homes and properties of people in an attempt to destabi- lize security and stability in their areas.

The following is the additional outcome of the Turkish attacks on the SDF areas on November 27, 2022, as well as the outcome of November 28, 2022:

The Additional outcome of November 27, 2022:

Al-Jazeera Region

Tal Tamir

The village of “Sheikh Ali” was targeted with /4/ heavy artillery shells.

Zerkan

As part of the legitimate response, our forces targeted the bases of the occupation and its mercenaries in the village of Abdel Hay with 3 artillery shells.

Euphrates Region
Gri Spi / Tal Abyad
The villages targeted: Saida, al-Dibs, Khalidiya, and Hoshan
Weapons used: mortars and explosive bombs.
Ain Issa
The village of al-Fatisa was targeted twice with heavy artilleries.
Al-Terwaziya
For the fifth time, the vicinity of the Al-Kantari town was targeted with artillery shells. The outcome of November 28, 2022
Afrin and Al-Shahba’a Region

The villages and towns targeted: Mayasseh, Al-Shawargha, Tat Marrash, Maranaz, Kashta’ar, Binh/Ibin, Bayloniya, Soganake, Aqiba, Sheikh Issa, Al-Shahba Dam, Mennig, Al-Radar village and its surroundings, and the town of Tal Rifaat.

Weapons used: more than 132 heavy artillery shells and about 17 mortar shells.

24 The İmralı Post #30 Casualties: material damage to civilian property in the village of Aqiba.
Our forces also thwarted an infiltration attempt by the occupation mercenaries in Harbal frontline.
Al Jazeera Region

Tal Tamir

The villages targeted: al-Kuzliya, Al-Tawila, Tal Al-Laban, Tal Taweel, and Um Al-Kayf.

Weapons used: 20 artillery shells.

Zerkan

The villages and towns targeted: Bobi, Nuwaihat, Al-Rubia’at, Dada Abdul, Al-Khadrawi, Al-Asadiya, Muharmala, and the town of Zarkan.

Weapons used: 48 artillery shells, in addition to DShK weapons.

Euphrates Region

Kobane

The villages and towns targeted: Charqli, Zor Maghar, Al-Ziyara, Kharb Baysan, Tallet Ahmed Munir, Qaramog, and the town of Al-Shuyoukh Fawqani.

Weapons used: 10 mortar shells, 20 times, 6 heavy artillery, and tank shells.
Casualties: a hospital in the village of Qaramog was also targeted.
Manbij
The villages targeted: Al-Jat, Al-Kawqle, Tal Al-Hamam, al-Tukhar, Al-Khalidiya, and Al-Hawsharia. Weapons used: 11 artillery shells.

Gri Spi/ Tal Abyad

The villages targeted: al-Dibs, Saida, Khirbet al-Baqar, and the international road (M4). Weapons used: tanks, mortars, and a suicide drone targeted the village of “Tal Khan”. Al-Terwaziya
The villages and towns targeted: Al-Kantari, Dhiban, and Um Al-Baramil.

25 The İmralı Post #30 Weapons used: 15 heavy artillery shells and 7 mortar shells.

—★—

Attacks on Rojava continue at full intensity

ANF|29 November 2022

Since 19 November, the Turkish army has been attacking Rojava with fighter jets, artillery and drones. Dozens of civilians and members of the defence and security forces have been killed. In addition, more than twenty soldiers of the Assad regime were killed.

The attacks of the past 24 hours extend from Afrin to Manbij, Kobanê, Til Temir, Ain Issa, Zirgan (Abu Rasen) and Girê Spî (Tal Abyad). Most recently, the village of al-Kuzliye (ku. Gozeliyê) near Til Temir was shelled at noon on Tuesday. The village had also been hit by Turkish shells the day before. No information on damage and casualties is available yet.

Kobanê at the focus of attacks

Kobanê in particular, as a symbol of Rojava’s resistance, is the focus of Turkish attacks. Villages and the centre of Kobanê are repeatedly attacked. Since Tuesday morning, the villages of Zormixar and Carqelê in the west of Kobanê have been shelled by howitzers, as they were the day before. The village of Koran in the east of Kobanê is also affected by the massive shelling. On Monday, Turkish troops shelled the health cen – tre in the village of Qeremox, 18 kilometres east of Kobanê, causing extensive damage. On Monday evening, the Miştenûr hill near Kobanê and the hamlet of Ehmed Mûnîr were shelled with heavy weapons.

Attacks in Afrin and Shehba

The Turkish army has fired at least 277 shells at the canton of Shehba and the free areas in Afrin in the past 24 hours. In Afrin’s Shera district, the villages of Tatmeraş and Merenaz were targeted, and in Afrin’s Sherawa district, the villages of Meyasê, Şewarxa, Kashtear, Bênê, Hirşê Soxanekê, Soxanekê and Aqîbê. In the canton of Shehba, where over 100,000 displaced people from Afrin live, the villages of Şêx Îsa, Seed al- Şehba, Bêlûniyê, the town of Tell Rifat and the military airfield of Menagh (Minix) were attacked.

—★—

26 The İmralı Post #30 Turkish bombing of Rojava deprives over 21 thousand students

their right to education

ANF|Qamishlo|30 November 2022

The Northern and Eastern Syria Education and Training Committee condemned the Turkish state’s at- tacks on the region and the targeting of schools.

The statement said: “Since 20 November, Northern and Eastern Syria has been heavily bombed by the in – vading Turkish army with all kinds of weapons. Turkey is committing crimes against humanity and war crimes against the local population. In the bombardment, infrastructure, civilian and service buildings and schools were targeted. Schools were suspended due to the war situation in the border areas and the demo- lition of some schools.

Accordingly, we have prepared the statistics of the schools that were closed or destroyed and the number of students who have been deprived of their right to education:

Jazira Region: The number of students who cannot go to school is 15,971. 201 schools were closed.
Afrin Region: The number of students who cannot go to school is 158.
8 schools were closed.

Euphrates Region: The number of students who cannot go to school is 2,460. 19 schools were closed.
Manbij: The number of students who cannot go to school is 3,254.
15 schools were closed.

A total of 21,843 students could not go to school. 243 schools were closed.

A school in the village of Koran, east of Kobanê, was completely destroyed. 3 schools were also partially destroyed.

We strongly condemn the invading Turkish state’s targeting of schools, and call on international, humani – tarian and legal organizations involved in education and training to condemn and put pressure on Turkey to stop these attacks.”

—★—

27 The İmralı Post #30 SDF announces the outcome of Turkish aggression on

November 29

ANF|30 November 2022

The Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the balance sheet of Turkish attacks against North-East Syria on November 29, Tuesday.

“The Turkish occupation continues the brutal attacks on the north and east of Syria, targeting the lives of more than 5 million indigenous people and hundreds of thousands of IDPs from other Syrian regions. The recent Turkish aggression has entered its tenth day and caused extensive damage to the population’s farms and properties and civilian infrastructure,” said the SDF statement on Wednesday.

The following are the outcome of the attacks of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries on SDF re- gions on November 28, as well as the outcome of November 29:

Al-Jazeera Region

Tal Tamir

The village of al-Kuzlia was targeted by six heavy artillery shells, causing extensive material damage to civil- ian homes.

Euphrates Region

Kobane

The villages and towns targeted: Jishan, Al-Ziyara, Zour Maghar, Charqli, the town of Al-Shuyoukh, Kanya Korda, and Tallat Mushtanur.

Weapons used: /5/ mortar shells and 2 heavy artillery shells.

Gri Spi/ Tal Abyad:

The villages targeted: Sulaibiya, Qazaali, Jdeideh, Mualaq, and Sayda.
Weapons used: heavy artillery and mortars.
Manbij
The villages of Aoun al-Dadat and Tal al-Hamam were subjected to two attacks with mortar shelling. The outcome of November 29, 2022:

28 The İmralı Post #30 Afrin and Al-Shahba’a Region

The villages and towns targeted: Mayassa, Binh / Ibin, Soghanakah, Al-Shawargha, Tannb, Tat Marrash, Maranaz, Alqamiya, Ershadiya, Ziwan, Ain Daqna, Beloniya, Sheikh Issa, Kashta’ar, Sad Al-Shahba, and the town of Tal Rifat.

Weapons used: 63 heavy artillery shells, 11 mortar shells, and 2 tank shells. Casualties: some civilians were injured in the village of Sogunakah.
Al Jazeera Region
Tal Tamir

The villages targeted: Al-Kuzliya, Um Al-Kaif, Al-Tawila, and Tal Al-Laban.

Weapons used: heavy artillery and mortar shells.

Tal Tamir Military Council foiled an attempted infiltration by Turkish-backed mercenaries in the village of Dibsa, west of Tal Tamir town. The failed infiltration attempt resulted in two mercenaries being wounded.

Zarkan

The villages targeted: Bobi, al-Asadiya, and Muharmala.

Weapons used: 60 mortar shells and DShK weapons.

Our forces have responded consistently to the source of those attacks.

Euphrates Region

Kobane:

The villages targeted: Charqli, Zor Maghar, Kharab Atto, Al-Ziyara, Kharab Baysan, Kuran, and the town of Al-Shuyoukh.

Weapons used: 5 mortar shells, 12 heavy artillery, 1 tank shell, and DShK weapons.

Gri Spi / Tal Abyad

The villages targeted: Jdeideh, Arida, Qaza’ali, Khirbet Nayef, Abu Surra, Ibrahim Kardo, Debs, and Zanobia.

Weapons used: mortar and heavy artillery shells.

29 The İmralı Post #30 Manbij
The villages targeted: al-Hawshariya, Aoun al-Dadat, and al-Muhsinali.
Weapons used: 2 mortar shells and 1 heavy artillery shell.

AL-Terwaziya

The countryside of al-Qantari town was targeted twice by heavy artillery shelling.

—★—

Turkey continues its attacks against Rojava

ANF|1 December 2022

A kamikaze drone of the invading Turkish state targeted a military position of the Syrian government forces in the Koran village, east of Kobanê.

According to information available, two Syrian government soldiers were injured in the attack. They were taken to Kobanê Hospital.

On the other hand, the Turkish army shelled the village of Gozeliye, west of Til Temir, at around 11.50 am local time today.

The Turkish army also shelled the Zirgan district centre and the villages of Rebîat, Til Werd, Bobî, Miher- mele, Dad Ebdal and Esediye with howitzers and mortars at around 02:45 local time.

According to a 10-day balance sheet released by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on November 30, 1 school, 1 health centre and 2 hospitals have been bombed and 13 civilians have been killed by the Turkish army since November 19. The Turkish army is reported to have used phosphorus bombs during its attacks that have directly targeted civil infrastructure, including wheat silos, gas stations and oil fields.

—★—

Turkish fighter jets bomb civilians in Sulaymaniyah countryside

ANF|2 December 2022

The Turkish army bombed the village of Gelale in the Şarbajêr district. The non-governmental organiza- tion Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) announced that a citizen named Eziz Mihemed Resul lost his life as a result of the attack.

30 The İmralı Post #30 “Two citizens were seriously injured as a result of the attack. All the martyrs and injured are registered to

the Qamiş village in the Şarbajêr district,” the CPT said.

“Turkish fighter jets today bombed the village of Gelale which is located near the Şarbajêr district of Sulay- maniyah. The civilians targeted by Turkish jets had gone to the mountains to gather grass,” Kameran Hasan, the district governor of Mawet town, told RojNews.

It is reported that Turkish fighter jets bombed the same area three times. Neither the Kurdistan Regional government nor the Federal government has released an official statement so far.

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SDF: Turkey shelled 70 villages and farms, destroyed a mosque

ANF|2 December 2022

During the twelfth day of the Turkish aggression against the areas of north and eastern Syria, about 70 vil- lages and farms were bombarded with heavy artillery and tanks. In addition, the mosque of the al-Ter- waziya village was completely destroyed due to tank shelling on the village.

Providing information about the increasingly ongoing attacks of the Turkish state against North-East Syria since 19 November, the Press Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stated the following:

An additional outcome of November 30, 2022

Afrin and Al-Shahba’a Region

The villages and towns targeted: Tal al-Madik, Binh / Ibin, Al-Shawargha, Tat Marrash, Soganaka, Mayassa, Bayloniya, and Sheikh Issa.

Weapons used: 40 heavy artillery shells and 10 tank shells and mortars and DShK.

Al Jazeera Region

Tal Tamir

The villages of “Tal al-Laban, al-Khair, and al-Kozlia” were subjected to /10/ heavy artillery shells, in addi – tion to DShK weapons.

Zarkan

The villages of Bobi, Dada Abdal, Muharmala, and the town of Zarkan were shelled 34 times by heavy ar – tillery shelling, as well as mortar shells.

31 The İmralı Post #30

Euphrates Region

Kobane

The villages of Kuran, Kharab Baysan, Jishan, Zor Maghar, Charqli, and Al-Ziyara were subjected to 6 heavy artillery shells and 6 mortar shells.

Gri Spi/ Tal Abyad

The villages of Khirbet al-Baqar, al-Hoshan, Kur Hassan, al-Salibi, and Qaz’ali were shelled with heavy ar- tillery and mortar shells, as well as with DShK and sniping weapons.

Al-Terwaziya

The countryside of al-Kantari town was targeted four times by heavy artillery.

The outcome of the first of December 2022

Afrin and Al-Shahba’a Region

The villages of Harbal, Sheikh Issa, Bayloniya, Samuka Maranaz, al-Malikiyah, al-Shawargha, al-Irshadiya, Tannab, Alqamiya, Soghanaka, Aqiba, and Bayna / Ibin were subjected to 35 shells of heavy artillery, as well as mortar shelling and DShK weapons.

Al Jazeera Region

Tal Tamir

The village of “Al-Kuzliya” was bombarded with heavy artillery.

Zarkan

The villages of Al-Rubiat, Tal al-Ward, Muharmala, Bubi, Dada Abdal, Al-Asadiya, and the town of Zarkan were subjected to 57 heavy artillery shells, as well as mortar shelling.

Our forces have responded to the sources of these attacks.

Euphrates Region
Kobane
The villages of Kuran, Kharab Baysan, and Charqli were shelled with mortars.

In the village of Kuran, a Turkish UAV killed two members of the Damascus government forces and wounded one of our SDF fighters.

32 The İmralı Post #30

Gri Spi / Tal Abyad

The villages of Debs, Jdeideh, Abu Sarra, Khan, Kur Hassan, al-Sawan, al-Salibi, Avdoka, and the interna- tional road (M4) were shelled with heavy artillery and mortar shells.

Our forces responded continuously and directly to the sources of the shelling.

Manbij

The villages of Aoun al-Dadat, al-Hawshariyya, and Karhiyuk were hit four times by mortars, and twice by heavy artillery shells.

Al-Terwaziya

The countryside of the towns of “Al-Tarwaziyah and Al-Fawar” was subjected to /27/ heavy artillery shells that destroyed the mosque of al-Terwaziya town.

Our forces responded directly and consistently to the sources of attacks.

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SDF announces the outcome of Turkish aggression on

December 2

ANF|3 December 2022

The Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the balance sheet of Turkish attacks against North-East Syria on December 2, Friday.

On the thirteenth day of the Turkish aggression against NE Syria, around 83 villages and farms were bom- barded with heavy artillery, tanks UAVs.

The shelling focused on the areas of Al-Shahba’a, heavily populated with IDPs who were forcibly displaced from Afrin by the Turkish occupation.

An additional outcome of December 1, 2022

Afrin and Al-Shahba Region:

The villages of Sheikh Issa, Madyoun, Ziwan, Mennig, Al-Sha’ala, Tat Marrash, Tannb, Al-Shawargha, Al- Malikiyah, Maranaz, Aqiba, Soganaka, and Mayassa were all shelled by heavy artillery and mortar shells.

33 The İmralı Post #30 The villages of Maranaz, al-Malikiyah, and Tat Marash were also targeted with DShK weapons.
The occupation mercenaries attacked the village of “Madoun”, but their attack was thwarted by our forces. Al Jazeera Region:

Tal Tamir:

The village of “Al-Kuzliya” was targeted five times by Turkish heavy artillery. The village of Um al-Kayf was also targeted with DShK weapons.

Euphrates Region:

Kobane:

The villages of Tal Abar, Charqli, Kuran, and Kharab Baysan were also hit by heavy artillery, mortars, and DShK weapons.

Gri Spi / Tal Abyad:

The villages of “Muallaq, Khalidiya, Al-Dib, Al-Jdeideh, Saida, Al-Salibi, and Abed Kouri” were bom- barded with heavy artillery and DShK weapons.

Ain Isa:

The villages of “Al-Mushairfa and Al-Fatsa” were subjected to heavy artillery shells, and two to mortar shells. The village of Al-Mushairfa was targeted by a UAV strike.

Our forces responded directly and continuously to all those attacks.

Al-Terwaziya:

The countryside of Um al-Baramil town was targeted 4 times with heavy artillery, 6 times with mortar shells, and DShK weapons.

The outcome of December 2, 2022:

Afrin and Al-Shahba’a Region:

The villages of Ain Daqna, Bayloniya, Mennig, Sheikh Issa, Samuqah, Ziwan, Al-Sha’ala, Maranaz, Al- Malikiyah, Tat Marrash, Binh/Ibin, Soganaka, and Mayassa were shelled 54 times by heavy artillery.

The occupation mercenaries attacked the village of “Mayassa”, but their attack was thwarted by our forces.

34 The İmralı Post #30

Al Jazeera Region:

Tal Tamir:

The villages of Al-Kuzlia and Al-Tawila were shelled by heavy artillery.

Zarkan:

The villages of “Bobi, Dada Abdal, and Al-Asadiya” were subjected to /3/ heavy artillery shells.

Euphrates Region:

Kobane:

The villages of “Al-Ziyara, Zour Maghar, Charqli, Tal Sha’ir, Al-Shuyoukh Fawqani, Tal Ahmed Mounir, and Saftak” were subjected to 14 mortar shells.

The outposts of Damascus government forces located in the villages of Zour Maghar, Al-Ziyara, and Sfe- tak were also targeted.

Gri Spi / Tal Abyad:

The villages of “Muallaq, Al-Debs, Al-Mushairfa, Al-Jdeideh, Abu Surra, Kur Hassan, Saida, Bir Katik, Al- Salibi, and the International Road (M4)” were shelled by heavy artillery.

The shelling on the Al-Mushairfa village resulted in injuring one soldier belonging to the Damascus Gov- ernment forces.

Ain Isa:

A checkpoint in the village of “Al-Heisha” was targeted with mortar shells, and the “Al-Burj” point was targeted with Dushka weapons.

Manbij:

The Kara Quzaq bridge was targeted with heavy artillery, and the village of al-Muhsenli was targeted with BKC weapons and (B-7) rockets.

The village of Kawkle was targeted by a UAV strike.

Al-Terwaziya:

The countryside of the Um al-Baramil and al-Fawaz towns was bombarded two times with heavy artillery, and two times by mortars, in addition to DShK weapons.

The İmralı Post #30

—★—

YRK: Turkish attack on Mount Asos was directed against civilians
ANF|3 December 2022

Warplanes belonging to the invading Turkish state bombed a civilian group of people on Friday near Mount Asos in the village of Gelale, near the town of Sarbajêr in Sulaymaniyah. In the attack, Aziz Muhammed Rasul was killed and 5 other people were injured.

The Eastern Kurdistan Units (YRK) released a statement regarding the Turkish attack in the Iraqi-Iranian border area.

The YRK stated that the Turkish attack was directed against civilians, adding, “Our forces suffered no harm as a result of the attack which, however, left one civilian dead and five civilians injured.”

“The Turkish state is escalating its attacks as it suffers defeats. Let our people know that the goal of the Turkish state is to annihilate the Kurdish people,” said the YRK statement.

Offering their condolences to the family of Aziz Muhammed Rasul and wishing a speedy recovery to those injured, YRK added, “We call our people, once again, and all those with conscience to adopt a stand against such attacks.”

—★—

SDF announces the outcome of Turkish aggression on

December 3

ANF|4 December 2022

The Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the balance sheet of Turkish attacks against North-East Syria on December 3, Saturday.

For the fourteenth day in a row, the Turkish occupation continues the shelling and attacks using ar- tillery and tanks, and UAVs against the area stretching from Derik to the Al-Shahba’a areas. More than 46 villages were bombed yesterday.

Providing information about the latest attacks of the Turkish state against North-East Syria, the Press Cen – ter of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stated the following:

An additional outcome of December 2, 2022

36 The İmralı Post #30

Al Jazeera Region

Tal Tamir

The villages of Um al-Kayf and al-Kuzlia were targeted five times by heavy artillery shells.

Euphrates Region

Kobane

The villages of Zor Maghar, Charqli, Kuran, and the town of Al-Shuyoukh were targeted one time with heavy artillery and 5 times with mortar shells.

Gri Spi / Tal Abyad

The villages of “Kur Hasan, Bir Katk, Salibi, Avdoka, Shorba Nisk, and Muallaq” were targeted by heavy artillery and mortar shells.

Manbij

The villages of Um Adsa and Aoun al-Dadat were targeted five times by mortar shells.

Al-Terwaziya

The countryside of al-Kantari town was bombarded with heavy artillery.

The outcome of December 3, 2022

Afrin and Al-Shahba’a Region

The villages of “Binh/Ibin, Soghanake, Mayasa, Tat Marrash, Maranaz, Shawargha, Ziwan, Mediouneh, Harbal, Samuqah, Tal al-Madiq, Mennig, Ain Daqna, Beyluniya, Sheikh Isa, and the town of Tal Rif’at were attacked 39 times by heavy artilleries, and 20 times by mortar shells.

Al Jazeera Region

Tal Tamir

The villages of Tal al-Laban, Tal al-Taweel, and al-Kuzlia were targeted by heavy artillery and mortar shells.

In the village of Al-Mujaibra, four children were injured due to unexploded ordnance from an earlier Turkish shelling.

Zarkan

37 The İmralı Post #30 The villages of “Al-Asadiya, Bobi, and Al-Khadrawi” were targeted 10 times by heavy artillery shells, in ad –

dition to DShK weapons.

Our forces responded directly and continuously to all those attacks.

Amuda

In the village of Raya, two of our fighters were martyred due to a Turkish UAV strike on their vehicle.

Euphrates Region

Kobane

The villages of Kuran, Kharab Baysan, Qaramog, Jishan, Zor Maghar, and the town of Al-Shuyoukh were subjected to 12 mortar shells and 11 heavy artillery shells.

Gri Spi / Tal Abyad

The villages of Saida, Khalidiya, Debs, Muallaq, Ibrahim Kardo, Abu Netuna, Jdeideh, and the interna- tional road (M4)” were shelled by mortars.

Ain Isa

The village of “Al-Swaidiya” and the vicinity of the Al-Sharkrak silos were subjected to /8/ heavy artillery shells.

Manbij

The villages of Karhiuk, Aoun al-Dadat, and al-Hawshariya were shelled two times by mortars, and two times by heavy artillery shells.

Al-Terwaziya

The countryside of Al-Kantari town was targeted by heavy artillery.

—★—

38 The İmralı Post #30

Chemical weapons

Open letter on allegations of the use of chemical weapons by Turkey calls for action

ANF|30 November 2022

131 academics, activists, unionists, NGO representatives and politicians wrote an open letter calling for actions from various authorities regarding the use of chemical weapons by the Turkish army against the Kurdish guerrilla forces in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

The signatories call for an urgent end to all cross-border military activity of the Turkish state in Iraq and Syria, criticizing the existing international mechanisms for not reflecting the realities of warfare today.

The open letter reads as follows:

“On the occasion of November 30, the Day of Remembrance of all Victims of Chemical Warfare, we write with deep concern about disturbing allegations of the use of prohibited weapons by the Turkish mili – tary in its ongoing military operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Re- gion of Iraq. Moreover, we are writing at a time in which the Turkish state is once again targeting civilians inside Syria and mobilizing for another possible ground invasion.

On October 18, local media released video footage showing the impacts of alleged chemical weapons ex- posure on two PKK guerrillas. Both were among 17 of the group`s fighters who lost their lives as a result of alleged chemical attacks in recent months.

The footage followed a report published by the NGO International Physicians for the Prevention of Nu- clear War (IPPNW) last month that examined other allegations of Turkish chemical weapons use and called for an international investigation based on its findings.

In 2021, human rights monitors and local media reported at least once instance of civilian harm poten- tially caused by alleged Turkish chemical weapons use. The authors of the IPPNW report attempted to meet with the impacted civilians, but were blocked from doing so by the Kurdistan Regional Government.

We understand that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) can only inves- tigate allegations of chemical weapons use when a request is made by a state party.

However, it is our view that these existing mechanisms do not reflect the realities of warfare today. Peoples without states and non-state political and military actors are deeply involved in modern conflicts. So are autocratic regimes that stifle the voices of those who wish to hold their governments to account for their behavior in war.

39 The İmralı Post #30

Both of these conditions are relevant here. The Kurdish people do not have a government that can speak up for them. They live under repressive regimes with powerful allies in the West—Turkey, for example, is supported by its NATO allies despite consistent evidence of serious human rights abuses.

This means that, while Kurds are disproportionately more likely to be subjected to war crimes and viola- tions of international law as a result of their status as an oppressed minority, they are also disproportion – ately less likely to have access to justice mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable.

In order to be effective, human rights law and the laws of war must be implemented as universally as pos- sible, free from political considerations. There should be as many avenues as possible for credible allega- tions of human rights violations and violations of the laws of war to be investigated by impartial interna- tional bodies—particularly serious violations like the use of prohibited weapons.

Furthermore, these investigations should not simply be aimed at the historical record. They should build towards justice and accountability for all who violate international law, as well as durable political solu- tions to ongoing conflicts.

To that end, we the undersigned make the following recommendations:

To the OPCW:

Amend investigation procedures to allow greater access to justice and accountability for alleged chemical weapons use.
InvestigateallegationsthatTurkeymayhaveusedchemicalweaponsinIraqiKurdistan. To the government of Turkey:

End all cross-border military activity in Iraq and Syria immediately.
Cooperate fully with local and international investigations of alleged chemical weapons use and
other alleged war crimes and human rights abuses and hold perpetrators accountable if violations

are found.
Return to peace negotiations with the PKK to resolve the Kurdish issue by political means.
To the Kurdistan Regional Government:

• Allow international investigators full access to impacted regions and communities to determine if Turkey has used chemical weapons in its military operations.

To concerned governments:

Request an investigation of alleged Turkish chemical weapons use via existing OPCW mechanism.
EndarmssalesandsecurityassistancetoTurkey.
Pressure Turkey to end cross-border military operations in Iraq and Syria.
Support and assist in return to peace negotiations between Turkey and the PKK to resolve the Kur-
dish issue by political means.

40 The İmralı Post #30 To international civil society:

• Support the demands listed here by signing this letter and engaging with relevant governments and international institutions.”

—★—

Iran
Protests continue in Iran and East Kurdistan on day 73

ANF|29 November 2022

An unprecedented popular movement has been taking place since the murder of a young Kurdish woman, Jina Mahsa Amini, by the notorious morality police in Tehran on September 16.

Protests are carried out in different forms every day. On November 28, young people once again took to the streets for protests in the cities of Sine (Sanandaj) and Abdanan in East Kurdistan.

Moreover, students at some universities in East Kurdistan, especially in Sine, continued to stage protests despite the government crackdown.

State forces set up barricades in many cities and arrested several protesters. It is reported that 4 people from a family were arrested in the city of Sine.

Şoreş Niknam, who was killed during protests in the city of Mahabad, was buried in the village of Qelauxe with the participation of dozens of people.

University students continued their protests in many cities of Iran. Different protests were also organized in some parts of Tehran.

The strike, initiated by some workers and drivers, is continuing in East Kurdistan’s Kirmaşan (Kerman- shah) city and in Iranian cities such as Isfahan, Shiraz, Kashan and Bender Ebas.

Four unions for retired persons supported the protests and demanded an end to gender discrimination in the country, the immediate release of all prisoners, and the arrest and prosecution of those who tortured protesters.

The same unions warned that if the protesters’ demands are not met, they will respond to state violence.

41 The İmralı Post #30 According to the Iran Human Rights Organization’s report a week ago, at least 416 people, 51 of them

being children, have been killed by Iranian state forces since September 16.

Other opposition sources report that the protests have spread to 277 cities so far and more than 600 peo- ple have been killed. A list of 541 protestors who were killed was published by an opposition website.

—★—

Heyva Sor launches campaign “East Kurdistan is Not Alone”

ANF|30 November 2022

Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê (The Kurdistan Red Crescent Society) is launching a campaign “East Kurdistan is Not Alone” to collect donations for the victims of the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ Revolution in eastern Kur- distan (Iran).

“We, as Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê (the Kurdistan Red Crescent Society), consider it our duty and responsi- bility to help the victims of the recent revolutionary protests in Eastern Kurdistan. Therefore, we will do what we can to make people’s lives easier. However, as you know, because of the use of violence and repres – sion by the Iranian regime, the numbers of victims are very high. Therefore, it is important to call on all Kurds to fulfill their human and national duties, to reach out and donate to the Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê,” said the Kurdish Red Crescent in a statement on Wednesday.

Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê collects financial donations and delivers them rapidly to those in need. In coun- tries that do not have a Kurdistan Red Crescent, donations can be sent to one of the other European ac- counts.

Heyva Sor asks contributors to write “Rojhilat is Not Alone” when sending their donation.

—★—

Feminicide
Arrest warrants issued for 50 women in 14 cities

ANF|Ankara|29 November 2022

Within the scope of the investigation carried out by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on the al – legation of “membership in a terrorist organization”, 50 women in 14 cities were detained.

42 The İmralı Post #30 As part of the police political operation, which was based on the statements of witnesses and secret wit-

nesses, house raids were carried out in many cities.
It was learned that many women were detained as a result of the raids.

—★—

Jailed women journalists: Our arrest was part of a plot

ANF|30 November 2022

Many women journalists were tortured and detained in simultaneous police operations on 25 October as the invading Turkish state was using chemical weapons against the guerrillas and was preparing a new at- tack on Rojava. The journalists were arrested on 29 October by a court. The police operation was carried out as part of an Ankara-based investigation.

Women journalists Diren Yurtsever, the Editor-in-Chief of the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), reporters Berivan Altan and Ceylan Şahinli, and JINNEWS reporters Habibe Eren and Öznur Değer delivered a message from the Sincan Women’s Closed Prison after the first month of their imprisonment.

In the message, the women journalists said that “9 journalists were arrested in the morning on 29 Octo- ber as the country marked the 99th anniversary of the Republic”.

Habibe Eren pointed out that the police operation against the journalists had a symbolic message.

Eren reminded that during the State of Emergency (OHAL) declared after the July 15 Coup Attempt in 2016, many media outlets, including JINHA and DİHA, were closed by several governmental decrees (KHK).

Eren said: “The persistent government crackdown does not concern only one segment of society. There- fore, society and all segments of society should raise their voices before oppression becomes normal soon.”

Journalist Diren Yurtsever underlined that since they had never owed obedience to oppressive govern- ments, they were targeted.

Yurtsever said: “We have secured citizens’ rights to obtain news even in the most critical periods and we have never taken a step back from doing what is proper to journalism. We, followers of the Free Press tra- dition, say that we will never back down, and we will continue to defend and fight for the freedom of the press. It is a fundamental principle and responsibility to defend the freedom of the press for all who aspire to a just, free and equal future.”

Journalist Ceylan Şahinli pointed to the rights violations and the schemes that were revealed to the public during the arrest process.

43 The İmralı Post #30

Şahinli revealed that a police chief cried with joy after their arrest warrant was issued. “Just this detail alone shows that our detention and arrest involved a political hatred and plot against us. We know well that this anger and hatred is against our Kurdish identity as well as our journalistic activities. They are try – ing to discipline us in prison since they have failed to silence us outside. However, it should not be forgot – ten that we carry on the tradition of the Free Press, which they could not silence by murdering journalists, and we will not be silent.”

Journalist Berivan Altan said: “As a Kurdish and female journalist, I continued to defend my profession with my head held high even though policemen attempted to lower my head during the detention.”

Altan added that they were arrested as part of the crackdown against the Free Press since the notorious 90s. “Even though the authorities maintained oppressive policies, the people never bowed down. As the voice of the Kurdish, Circassian, Alevi peoples and all others whose voices are silenced, we promise that we will not submit to these oppressive policies, and we will continue our profession in every field. They may have put us into a prison, but they cannot silence us.”

Journalist Öznür Değer pointed out that the arrest of 9 journalists in the run-up to the elections was a part of the “plan for chaos” in the country.

Değer said: “We know that the government, which is fraught with serious problems in every field, seeks a solution by trying to silence the Free Press. On 25 October, a political plot was introduced by the Ankara Police Department on the instructions of the government. However, the slogan ‘The Free Press Cannot Be Silenced’ was frequently chanted in the Ankara Courthouse after our arrest decision frustrated their plot and once again showed that the voice of the press cannot be silenced by arrests. Even though the authori- ties accuse our defense of freedom of obtainment of information, we will continue to report on facts wher- ever we are, and we will embrace the legacy of the Free Press that we have inherited from prominent jour- nalists Apê Musa and Gurbeteli Eröz.”

—★—

TJA activist Zeynep Boğa taken into custody

ANF|Amed|30 November 2022

As part of the political police operation carried out by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against the Free Women’s Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA), 57 houses in 14 cities were raided. 16 women were taken into custody, but an arrest warrant was issued for 50. The accusations are “member of a terror – ist organization”, “propaganda for a terrorist organization” and “providing funding for a terrorist organiza- tion”.

TJA activist Zeynep Boğa was detained during house raids in Amed. 16 women were taken into custody as part of the investigation, including Boğa. They are expected to be brought to Ankara, where the investiga – tion is conducted.

The prosecutor’s office imposed a confidentiality order on the case as well as a 24-hour lawyer restriction.

The İmralı Post #30

—★—

TJA members tortured in police custody in Ankara

ANF|Ankara|1 December 2022

On Tuesday, political genocide operations were carried out in several cities, including Amed (Diyarbakir), as part of an Ankara-based investigation. 18 women were detained as part of the investigation, in which 50 activists from the Kurdish Free Women’s Movement (TJA) face an arrest warrant. On Thursday evening, the TJA members detained in Amed and other cities, were taken to Ankara. It is reported that the Ankara police tortured TJA members at the entrance of the city before transferring them to a police sta – tion.

Detainees not provided with water and food

It is further reported that the detained women were not given food and water for one and a half days, and they could drink water in the Ankara police station only at night. The Ankara police handcuffed all the women behind their backs. Figen Ekti was subjected to violence by 4 policemen when she resisted be – ing handcuffed behind the back, and all women detainees were subjected to insults.

Sick woman hit on the head

It is reported that all women detainees were placed in solitary confinement after being kept waiting facing the wall. Although the investigating prosecutor was informed about a crack in the skull of Figen Aras, one of the women detainees, due to a previous traffic accident, her medical condition was not taken into con- sideration. Moreover, even though Aras told the police that she must certainly avoid receiving a blow to the head due to her vertigo disease, policemen deliberately hit her on the head.

There is also a cancer patient receiving chemotherapy treatment among the women detainees.

Reports say that the Ankara police forced the women detainees to provide information under the guise of “friendly chats”.

—★—

Woman prisoner released after 30 years is taken into custody again
ANF|2 December 2022

Şadiye Manap, who was detained in Riha in 1992, was tried at the Diyarbakır State Security Court (DGM), where she was given a life sentence.

45 The İmralı Post #30

Manap, who was arrested at the age of 24, remained in Riha, Midyat and finally Gebze Women’s Closed Prison for 30 years. She was tortured countless times during her stay in prison. She was eventually released on Thursday morning after 30 years.

However, Manap was taken into custody by the police and taken to the Kocaeli Police Department, on the pretext of an investigation conducted against her in 2020. It was learned that Manap, whose statement was taken earlier within the scope of the investigation, was kept at Kocaeli Police Department and has not yet been contacted by her lawyers.

—★—

Police steal assault report from TJA woman while in custody

ANF|Amed|3 December 2022

The torture carried out by the Ankara police against TJA (Free Women’s Movement) members who were detained within the scope of the investigation opened by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, has been continuing for days.

The women who were taken from Amed to Ankara were tortured by the Ankara Political Branch police. Figen Ekti, one of the TJA members who was subjected to torture, learned that the report of the beating she received under the control of a doctor on Thursday, was stolen from her coat pocket by the police.

It was learned that Ekti suffered a vertigo attack while she was at the Ankara Courthouse for the prosecu- tion to take their statements.

—★—

Court sends 8 women activists to prison and places 13 under house arrest
ANF|Ankara|3 December 2022

21 women, who were taken into custody during the house raids carried out on 29 November in Amed, Is- tanbul, Izmir, Muş, Agirî, Dilok and Siirt as part of the Ankara-based political operation, were brought to the Ankara Courthouse today, Saturday. The statement proceedings, which was carried out by 12 prosecu- tors appointed by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, took11 hours.

Figen Aras, Figen Ekti, Mekiye Ormancı, Didar Çeşme, Bedia Akkaya, Hatice Güngör, Hülya Kınağu and Gülistan Dehşet, who were referred to the court after their statements were taken by the Prosecutor’s Of- fice on charges of “directing a terrorist organization” and “acting on behalf of a terrorist organization”, were sent to prison.

46 The İmralı Post #30

Yeliz Ayyıldız Kıyak, Hülya Taşar, Zekiye Güler, Sultan Esen, Meral Şimşek, Zeynep Boğa, D.A., Merve Tekin Demirel, Hazal Aras, Aysel Ceylan, Beritan Canyaş, Tamcihan Çelebi and Hatice Ay (who was in- terrogated via remote from Amed) were sent under house arrest.

—★—

Court accepts indictment against TTB President Fincancı

ANF|Ankara|2 December 2022

Standing trial because of her demand for an investigation into the possible violation of the ban on chemi- cal weapons by the Turkish army, the president of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), Şebnem Korur Fincancı, will appear before court on 23 December. In the indictment adopted on Friday, the 63-year-old is accused of “propaganda for a terrorist organisation”, and the chief public prosecutor’s office in Ankara pleads for a sentence in the upper range. Fincancı faces up to seven and a half years in prison, according to her defence lawyer Meriç Eyüpoğlu. An application for release from custody was rejected.

Şebnem Korur Fincancı has been in pre-trial detention since the end of October. The accusation against her is related to statements around the use of chemical weapons against the PKK guerrillas in Southern Kurdistan (Northern Iraq). In a television interview with the Kurdish broadcaster Medya Haber, the inter- nationally renowned forensic pathologist had demanded a few days before her arrest that the accusations be independently investigated according to international standards. President Erdoğan then accused her of denigrating the armed forces and insulting her country.

Fincancı had called for an international investigation into the allegations from the Kurdish side after view- ing footage from guerrilla areas in southern Kurdistan. The videos, also published by ANF, show Turkish soldiers using chemical weapons against guerrilla positions during occupation operations in southern Kur – distan. There is also footage of injured guerrilla fighters who were exposed to the chemicals used by the Turkish army in guerrilla areas. In addition to Fincancı, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and Kur- dish civil society have also called for independent investigations. The Turkish government denies the alle- gations.

The case against Fincancı, who is also the chairperson of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TIHV), is being heard by the 24th Heavy Penal Court of Istanbul. The indictment was initially filed with a criminal chamber in Ankara, but the chamber transferred the case to Istanbul due to a local lack of juris – diction. If the prosecution has its way, the doctor will be sentenced according to Article 7, paragraph 2 of the Turkish Anti-Terror Law (Law No. 3713). The text of the law states: “Whoever makes propaganda for a terrorist organisation shall be punished with imprisonment between one and five years. The penalty is in- creased by half if the “crime” is committed through the press or radio.

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47 The İmralı Post #30 Besê Erzincan: Women must strengthen their struggle

ANF|Behdinan|3 December 2022

In an interview broadcast on Jin TV, Besê Erzincan, a member of the coordination of the Kurdistan Women’s Community (Komalên Jinên Kurdistan, KJK) spoke about the importance of Abdullah Öcalan’s ideology and its practical implementation in the PKK for the development of an international women’s struggle.

Above all, it is important to understand Abdullah Öcalan’s philosophy of freedom even better and to spread it further. This, too, is primarily a task for women, said Besê Erzincan in the programme “Xwebûn” on Jin TV. According to her, it is important to recognise and analyse the machinations carried out on the backs of women and to show a way out of this spiral.

Humanity developed into a society through women, and through this society evolution progressed to modern times. This historical reality was distorted by men. By force, women’s achievements and the values they created were stolen from them. The system created by women was transformed by men into a hierar- chical class system in which women no longer played a role. Women have been degraded to powerless ob- jects and made invisible, said Besê Erzincan.

Breaking through the walls

Erzincan pointed out that high walls had arisen between women and men. The reason for this lies in back- wardness, in the mentality of ruling, in despotism, power, state, hierarchy. The higher the walls, the more pronounced the separation between women and men, inequality and exploitation. Where this mentality spreads, freedom is suppressed. And where there is no freedom, there can be no affection and certainly no love.

“Abdullah Öcalan has always been strongly committed to abolishing this inequality and exploitation. With the struggle he developed, he wanted to tear down the walls that had grown higher and higher for thou- sands of years. His life is similar to the story of Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods in order to en – lighten people. Through his struggle, Abdullah Öcalan gave back to women what had been stolen from them by men. And like Prometheus, who was bound to a rock by the gods as punishment, Abdullah Öcalan was abducted in an international conspiracy and has been imprisoned in total isolation in a high- security prison for 23 years. There are indeed similarities. Abdullah Öcalan has given a lot back, from pa- triarchy to women, from the state to society, from the powerful to those who have the real right.

The patriarchal mentality takes away women’s breathing space

From day one, Abdullah Öcalan had a very courageous approach to women, Erzincan continued. “The Middle East has a very conservative, dogmatic and reactionary attitude towards women. This mentality has deprived women in the Middle East of breathing space. After the introduction of Islam, women were oppressed in the name of Islam. However, the situation is somewhat different for Kurdish women. Being a woman from a people without a recognised identity means being doubly exploited and ignored. Kurdish

48 The İmralı Post #30 women are thus in the situation of being a colony of the colonised. Abdullah Öcalan dared to fight for

women’s liberation under these difficult social conditions.”

Freedom is not possible without women’s liberation

“It is important to wage national liberation struggles. The Kurdish people need national liberation, but the question of how this liberation should be achieved is extremely important, said Besê Erzincan: “Of course, it cannot be a real struggle for freedom if women continue to live as slaves in a liberated country. Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] has repeatedly raised the question of what a free Kurdistan should be like. On this topic, he wrote the analysis ‘How to Live’. His main aim was to create an alternative to this existing sys- tem. His approach was very radical compared to other revolutionary movements. He said, ‘Our revolution is the revolution of women’.”

The revolution of the PKK is a revolution of women

Erzincan continued, “The PKK based its struggle from day one on the understanding of women’s libera- tion and tried to educate and prepare the society it wanted to build based on the paradigm of a gender-free social model. With this aim, the PKK trained experienced, militant cadres who believed wholeheartedly in women’s revolution and worked for it. Without organising, no revolution can be realized. This is why Ab – dullah Öcalan founded a unique women’s organization.”

Breaking out of millennia of exploitation and patriarchal mentality

It was a bit difficult for us in the beginning, said Besê Erzincan, recalling how women took up the authen- tic struggle for women’s liberation. “For thousands of years we had grown up with the exploitation and mentality of patriarchy. For the first time in history, someone wanted to achieve something for women. This was problematic for us at first. Later, when we realised our own reality and threw off the chains of slavery, we started this struggle. Through our practice, we were able to gain new experiences and make im – provements. For Rêber Apo, women were very valuable and precious. In the 1990s we were very young and inexperienced, yet he valued us very much. He made great efforts for us to develop. Each of us was given a big role and responsibility. He always treated women with great love and respect. His attitude to- wards women was always one of sublimation. He always warned against male-dominant approaches and clarified.”

Women carry a millennia-old passion for freedom

“Women are the ones who should understand me best and apply my theories,” Abdullah Öcalan repeat- edly stressed. He insisted on this because he knew that women carry a millennia-old passion for freedom, said Erzincan. “This passion makes women more militant. Women have thousands of years of revenge to take against this system. For this reason alone, women must work harder than anyone else to spread Rêber Apo’s philosophy of freedom. As women, we must educate ourselves in the light of Rêber Apo’s paradigm and spread this paradigm to all humanity. This is our task, more than anything else. We are still inade- quate in this regard. Yes, we love Rêber Apo very much, but we do not understand him sufficiently and do not implement his ideas.”

49 The İmralı Post #30 In conclusion, Besê Erzincan stressed that although the philosophy of Abdullah Öcalan originated in Kur-

distan, its aim is the liberation of all humanity.

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Human Rights Violations

HDP commemorates human rights defender Tahir Elçi on 7th anniversary of his murder

ANF|28 November 2022

In a written statement made, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Law and Human Rights Commission Co-Spokespersons Nuray Özdoğan and Serhat Eren said: “Diyarbakır Bar Association president Tahir Elçi was murdered seven years ago, on 28 November 2015. Elçi was targeted by the media of the government for expressing his opinions and was killed while making a press statement to draw attention to the war and the destruction of historical and cultural sites in Amed.

The co-spokespersons said: “Tahir Elçi spent his life fighting against the policy of impunity. However, we can clearly see from the lawsuit filed with the indictment prepared four and a half years after the killing and from the practices of the court throughout the trial, that what is sought is to procrastinate and end the case with impunity, as in previous similar cases.”

The co-speakers stated that throughout the trial, the court board “rejected all requests to shed light on the killing and followed an attitude to prevent the perpetrators of the attack and their connections from being revealed.”

The statement added: “The process that culminated with Tahir Elçi killing was also the beginning of a dark and chaotic process for Turkey. The forces that murdered Tahir Elçi and the political will and judicial mechanism that protected, acquitted and stood behind these forces continue to exist as an evil coalition against the people of Turkey. We commemorate our beloved Tahir Elçi with respect. As followers of the legacy left by Elçi, who has fought for law, justice and human rights until the last moment of his life, we will not give up on our search for law and justice. We will continue our legal and political struggle until the end, and we will not let go of the murderers, instigators and those responsible for his and other similar political murders.”

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50 The İmralı Post #30 Justice For Roboski Initiative: The state does not take steps for

justice

ANF|Ankara|28 November 2022

Turkish fighter jets killed 34 people, 19 of whom were minors, in the Roboski Village of Şırnak’s Uludere district on December 28, 2011.

The Justice for Roboski Initiative made a statement at the Ankara office of the Human Rights Association (IHD) to mark the 131st week of the massacre.

A banner reading “Find the Murderers! Roboski, Never Again” was displayed during the statement.

Diyarbakir Bar Association’s former president, Tahir Elçi, who was murdered in the Sur district on No- vember 28, 2015, was also commemorated by the initiative.

Delivering a speech, IHD member Tanju Gündüzalp addressed the policy of impunity, saying, “Zilan, Dersim, Koçgiri, Koçağıl, Piran, Çorum, Maraş, the unsolved murders of the 90s, Roboski, the murder of Tahir Elçi… The responsibility of state officials can be seen in all of them, but the truth is concealed in all murders and massacres. Geography is not destiny and the prosecution of Roboski perpetrators would mark a threshold to prevent these sufferings from emerging again.”

“It is a responsibility for each of us and every institution that prioritizes human rights to demand investi- gations into all the dirty formations and developments that produce wars,” Gündüzalp said.

“War is the biggest problem that prevents people from leading a happy, fair and humane life. The state does not take steps for justice and impunity prevails. There has been no justice in the case of Tahir Elçi 7 years after his murder, although all the facts are reported in the file technologically,” Gündüzalp added.

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Political extermination campaign against the HDP continues

ANF|28 November 2022

In Turkey, a new stage in the political campaign of destruction against the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) is emerging. After hundreds of political detentions were recorded in the past few days, the wave of repression continued on Monday. So far, there is talk of 18 detained members, supporters and leaders in the western provinces of Manisa and Tekirdağ. It is feared that this number could increase.

In Tekirdağ, numerous flats were stormed simultaneously in different districts of the port city west of Is- tanbul. The police were brutal, doors were broken open with a battering ram. At least seven people were

51 The İmralı Post #30 taken away without giving any reason and brought to the local police headquarters. They are Azad Özanli,

Muhammed Sosa, Kenan Gözmen, Tayfun Sağdıç, Hakan Güzel, Adem Akdoğan and Ahmet Polat.

In Manisa, there have also been unjustified raids with subsequent arrests. Eleven people from the local HDP structures were taken into custody, including the co-chairperson of the district association in Saruhan as well as Kadriye Karagöz, Fırat Daşkın and İbrahim Halil Mungan, members of various district executive committees in Manisa. Here, too, the detainees are being held at police headquarters.

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Family takes remains of their guerrilla son after a wait of 116

days

ANF|Hakkari|3 December 2022

Guerrilla Kaya Musalo (Kawa Ewrim) fell as a martyr in clashes that broke out on 8 August in the Anîtos area of Colemêrg’s Kato Marînûs region.

Musalo’s remains were given to his family after a wait of 116 days. Upon receiving the news three months ago, family members came to Colemêrg and applied to the Hakkari Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

After the blood samples were matched, the Hakkari Public Prosecutor’s Office allowed the family to take the remains.

Musalo’s family was thus able to recover the remains of their son, who were buried in the “Cemetery of the Orphans”, under police blockade, and set out for Van.

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Sweden extradites Kurdish asylum seeker to Turkey

ANF|3 December 2022

Sweden has extradited Kurdish asylum seeker Mahmut Tat to Turkey. Tat had been arrested in Sweden on 22 November and was being held in Mölndal. On Friday evening, he was flown from Arlanda Airport in Stockholm to Istanbul and spent the night in custody of the airport police. He is expected to be brought before the magistrate later today.

Mahmut Tat was indicted in 2015 for activities on behalf of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and he was sentenced to six years and ten months imprisonment. Seven years ago, he applied for political asylum in Sweden. The asylum application was rejected.

52 The İmralı Post #30

Turkey is preventing Finland and Sweden from applying to join NATO on the accusation that these coun- tries, especially Sweden, are backlands for the PKK. Sweden and Finland therefore signed an extradition agreement with Turkey in June. At the beginning of November, Sweden announced that it would ap- proach Turkey even further and tighten its anti-terror laws. In future, this will allow the Swedish govern- ment to introduce new laws restricting freedom of assembly when it comes to associations involved in or supporting “terrorism”. Until now, Sweden had made its anti-terror laws comparatively liberal in order to protect freedom of association. For example, charges for mere membership of a group suspected of having a terrorist background were not permitted. Turkey made its consent to Sweden’s NATO accession condi- tional on this step. The constitutional amendment will come into force at the turn of the year.

In September, Sweden approved arms exports to Turkey again for the first time. The export licences had been stopped in the course of the Turkish army’s invasion of northern Syria in October 2019, which was against international law. At that time, Sweden advocated an EU-wide arms embargo against Turkey.

At the beginning of November, the Swedish government publicly distanced itself from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria in order to “accommodate Turkish concerns”. Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said regarding the Democratic Unity Party (PYD) and the People’s Defence Units (YPG), their links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were “too close to be good for relations between us and Turkey”. His government’s main goal, he said, was Sweden’s NATO membership. Billström thus signalled his willingness to add a new dimension to the criminalisation policy against the Kurdish people that has been in place in the Nordic country for decades.

Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in the wake of the Russian attack on Ukraine in May. Except for Hungary and Turkey, all member countries have ratified this application.

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Peace
CJEU announces ruling on the PKK’s action against terror list

ANF|30 November 2022

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg has published the judgment in the case against the classification of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) as a terrorist organisation. The trial was about EU lists of terrorist organisations in the period 2014 to 2020. While the EU Court of Justice had already ruled in 2018 that the PKK was wrongly on the “terrorist list” between 2014 and 2017, the European Council appealed against the ruling. The PKK also appealed against the lists from 2018 to 2020. Both cases have been merged by the court, with the first hearing taking place on 31 March.

In the new ruling, the CJEU confirms that the 2014 list must be annulled with regard to the PKK. With regard to the subsequent lists until 2020, the PKK’s claim was rejected. The judgment is very comprehen-

53 The İmralı Post #30 sive and consists of 260 paragraphs. According to the judgement, the parties to the lawsuit must pay their

own expenses. Appeals against the judgement are possible in principle.

According to the information obtained, the PKK’s lawyers will meet soon to evaluate the decision and de- termine the next move since the decision of the Court of Justice can be appealed. The court’s overall deci- sion consists of 260 articles.

The “terror list” is formally updated every six months, but the PKK was put on the list again and again for the same reasons. Murat Karayılan and Duran Kalkan, leading members of the PKK, have filed a com- plaint against this.

Background to the case

After the German state put the PKK onto its list of banned organizations on November 26, 1993, a new security concept was introduced around the world following the attack on the Twin Towers in the USA in 2001.

The European Union created its own list in December of the same year as part of the “combating terror- ism” imposed by the USA. The PKK was thus included in the list in 2002.

Since 2014, the European Court of Justice has dealt with several cases concerning the PKK. A 2018 ruling by the Court canceled the lists between 2014 and 2017.

The court thus found the arguments for listing the PKK as “inadequate” and ruled that the group could not be included in the list.

The EU appealed against this decision. Immediately after, the UK asked in 2018 to keep the PKK on the list, and the PKK was automatically relisted on January 9, 2018, based on the same arguments. There- upon, the Kurdish side filed a lawsuit against the new list on March 7 the same year.

The objection of the Council of Europe to the previous decision and the case files against the new lists were merged and the first hearing was held on March 31, 2022.

At the hearing on March 31, the Court of Justice criticized the Council of Europe and reacted to the “copy-paste” defence that included the same arguments despite the cancelation of the previous lists.

Judgement on 2020-2021 lists will come out soon

The European Court of Justice is expected to decide on another case filed by the PKK against the lists after 2020. The judgement is expected to be announced on 14 December.

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54 The İmralı Post #30 “The Epic of the PKK” – Pioneering work of revolutionary

art

ANF|Behdinan|4 December 2022

On the occasion of the 44th anniversary of the foundation of the PKK, the Kurdish freedom move- ment has produced a new milestone of the guerrilla’s creative power. The cultural and music group Awazê Çiya, which consists of guerrilla fighters and is known for its creative music videos, has cre- ated the work Destana PKK (The Epic of the PKK) in two years of preparation in cooperation with Sine Çiya, the cultural movement in Rojava TEV-ÇAND, the Rojava Film Commune and the Pargîn Cultural Centre.

Much more than a musical

Like the classical epics of Gilgamesh or Homer, the work is written entirely in rhyme with continuous verse. The scenes, lyrically accompanied by the narrator, a supra-temporal female embodiment, are com- plemented by a 46-voice choir in bass, alto, tenor and soprano and by alternating solos. A large orchestra with saz, guitar, bass, cello, piano, violin and many other musical instruments gives emphasis to the film’s political and historical message of resistance. The text and music are by Awazê Çiya. It would be too short- sighted to call the work only a musical; it is a synthesis of musical, epic, documentary and re-enactment of historical events, in which great importance is attached to the symbolism of the images. It is impressively shown, for example, how Mazlum Doğan sacrifices himself in prison resistance, thereby fanning the fire of the freedom struggle represented by dancers.

From the Neolithic to Rojava – An unfinished story

The piece begins in the Neolithic, describing the emergence of domination and patriarchy, but also of re- sistance against it. The piece then focuses on the division of Kurdistan, the various resistance movements and finally the PKK. Decisive stages in the development of the PKK and its free ideology, from the assassi- nation of Haki Karer, which was answered by the founding of the PKK in 1978, to the prison resistance of Amed, the beginning of the armed struggle in 1984, the betrayal of the KDP and the bloody 1990s, the international conspiracy and the revolution of Rojava are described lyrically and accompanied by songs. Symbolism plays a major role here, so what cannot be described in words can possibly still be told.

“The PKK has many colours”

Têkoşîn Cûdî and Seyit Rıza Silbus from Awazê Çiya were the main contributors to the work. They told ANF about the reasons, the unusual form and the genesis of the project.

Têkoşîn Cûdî said: “With an epic as a musical, we have tried to present a certain period of PKK history to the public. In our project, we underline that the PKK’s epic is far from over, but is always being written further. There were many opinions from the audience about the work. Some thought it was a feature film, others a documentary, others a music clip. The PKK has many colours and this is expressed in the work. There is cinema, theatre, poetry, lyricism, dance, folklore and music clips in the epic. All fields of art are covered.”

55 The İmralı Post #30

“A colorurful novelty created in two years”

Têkoşîn Cûdî emphasised that the group wanted to show the history of the PKK in its full historical con- text and said the following about the relationship between music and image: “The music was composed according to the scenes. Each sound was adapted to the visuals. We started the practical work in 2020 and aimed to complete it on the anniversary of the founding of the PKK in 2022. It was work that had been started earlier. The work on the lyrics and music had already started but had not yet been put into prac – tice. More than 46 people are part of the choir. It was a new experience and comprehensive work. It is something quite different, a novelty and a very colourful one at that.”

Making the impossible possible

Têkoşîn Cûdî described the musical as a new departure that was hardly thought possible under conditions of war: “Many people thought that such work was not possible, that the resources were too small and that the professionalism and creativity of the Kurds were limited to a certain point. We did this work in an im – possible environment, in the middle of the war, and we showed the greatest determination in it. Actually, it is under difficult conditions that the most fruitful works come into being.”

The work on the music was completed after two years, noted Cûdî and continued: “Some works take years, others are finished after months. The PKK epic was a very comprehensive project. A project of this scope should have taken longer, but thanks to the continuation of the revolution and the great efforts of those involved, it was completed in a shorter time.”

“The revolution is always creating itself anew’

Asked about further projects and perspectives of Awazê Çiya, Cûdî answered: “The revolution goes on and on. It is not possible to talk about ‘after the revolution’. The revolution is always recreating itself, renewing itself and becoming more diverse. People who are involved in art, especially revolutionary artists, are not limited to a single theme, they do not limit themselves and they take creative steps. As Awazê Çiya, we have not only projects but also short-term works. Besides the PKK epic, we have released dozens of pro- grammes and clips and recorded three albums. The main work was the PKK epic, but we were involved in other projects every day at the same time. We will always pioneer the art of the revolution and the people and the struggle with our works. Our goal and project base on revisiting, reviving and recreating the origi – nal form of the people’s culture and art.”

50-year of freedom march rendered in Kurdish oral tradition

Cûdî’s comrade-in-arms Seyit Rıza Silbus emphasised that in the PKK epic, music and narrative style are in the foreground. He explained why the musical/epic form was chosen as follows: “Music and story have an important place in Kurdish culture. It is both the stories and the music that have carried Kurdistan and Kurdish culture from early times to the present day. The events that have taken place in Kurdistan have been passed on through stories and music until today. Just as Kurdish history and culture have been passed down through music and stories, we wanted to tell the story of the PKK.”

“The PKK cannot be expressed only through an artistic work”

However, the PKK epic cannot be considered as an artistic work alone, said Rıza, adding, “The PKK epic expresses the historical dimension of the PKK only in broad strokes, it is treated in the style of a biography

56 The İmralı Post #30

or choreography. Since it is about a 50-year freedom march, it would be weak to simply narrate it and process it like that, even if it had been filmed. It would not be correct to say that the project describes the PKK. It is more correct to say that we did that in the project as far as we could tell it. Our film project is finished, but the history of the PKK cannot be expressed only through an artistic work, and there are defi – nitely aspects missing.”

“Expressing the history of the PKK and the guerrilla through art”

Regarding the conditions of its creation, Seyit Rıza said: “We organised ourselves according to the reality of war, and it was in this environment that the epic came into being. We took this into consideration and thought about the possibility that war would break into the middle of the project and we would not be able to finish it, but we decided to carry out the project with great perseverance and determination.”

Seyit Rıza stressed the importance of expressing the reality of the lives of the people and the guerrillas for the struggle for revolution through music. He concluded by saying: “It is our basic principle to express the history of the PKK and the reality of the guerrilla, struggle and life through music and art.”

The movie can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt5v3d3S5EY —★—

Abdi calls on international community to promote a political solution to the Kurdish conflict
ANF|4 December 2022

SDF General Commander, Mazloum Abdi, published a powerful and clear op-ed in the Washington Post calling on the international community to “immediately take concrete steps to prevent a Turkish invasion and to promote a political solution to the Kurdish conflict based on democracy, coexistence and equal rights.”

General Abdi said clearly that what Kurds want and are trying to build is peace, not war. He wrote: “We ask no one to fight for us. My people are still here because we have resisted alone countless times before. If we must, we will resist again. What we ask is for the world to be with us in a more difficult task: peace.”

General Abdi wrote: “We believe that the roots of the conflicts that have brought so much pain and suffer- ing to our region are political. There is no inherent hatred between Kurds and Turks: Turkish leaders have made the political choice to see Kurds as a security threat and deny us our fundamental democratic rights. In the past, Erdogan has negotiated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to end the armed conflict between the group and the Turkish state and resolve the Kurdish question by peaceful means.”

He underlined that “when those talks were taking place, we lived in peace with our Turkish neighbors. If they were to restart, we would be able to do so again,” and added that “when our region was under threat

57 The İmralı Post #30 in 2019, the PKK offered, in this very newspaper, to sit down and seek a political solution. The call went

unanswered, and Turkey invaded and occupied two of our cities just months later.”

General Abdi said that “had the international community stood firmly against a Turkish invasion and spo- ken up for peace, things may have gone very differently. Though no one can turn back time, we can learn from the tragedies of the past.”

He therefore said: “We declare that we are ready to play a helpful role in restarting these talks and reaching the peace that we seek.”

—★—

Interview

Josep Nadal: “Erdogan’s shelling and attacks are a flagrant violation of international law”

ANF|3 December 2022

ANF spoke with Josep Nadal, deputy of Les Corts Valencianes (parliament of the Valencian Country) represent- ing the left wing party called Compromís, which is currently part of the Valencian government.

How do you assess this new attack by the Turkish regime?

We are very concerned about the news coming from the North and East of Syria. The shelling by the Er- dogan regime is a flagrant violation of international law with the aggravating circumstance that it is di- rected against the civilian population.

The international community, and in particular the states of the European Union, should act forcefully against Turkey. The reaction should be at least the same as it was with Russia for the invasion of Ukraine: an economic and political blockade of the invading power and humanitarian and defense aid to the vic- tims of the invasion.

What is your opinion of the relationship of the Spanish State and Government with Erdogan?

The Spanish Government of PSOE and Unidas Podemos is failing to fulfill the public commitments it has acquired with the culture of peace and specifically with the resolutions of the State Parliament and those of the autonomous communities (regional administrations) condemning Erdogan’s military invasions.

It makes no sense that Spain is providing strong military aid to Ukraine with the argument of defending the integrity of states and international law, while at the same time it is selling arms to Erdogan.

58 The İmralı Post #30

Unfortunately, the arms lobby has a strong influence on the Socialist Party, the main government party. A party which in international politics has abandoned its democratic tradition by supporting totalitarian regimes like Erdogan’s.

The President of the Government has recently been appointed President of the Socialist International. With this appointment, this international organization is staining, once again, the good name of socialism and that of many socialists who gave their lives for democracy and freedom of the peoples.

It should also be noted that the Turkish Embassy exercises great pressure on Spanish political life with fre- quent threats of economic blockade for any political action in favor of the Kurdish people.

What is your opinion of the Turkish regime’s tactics leading to the creation of ISIS in the region?

It is an unfortunate strategy for all the peoples of the region and for the entire international community. Turkey’s connivance in the emergence and subsequent growth of ISIS is once again on the table.

Spain has been one of the countries attacked by ISIS and is threatened by this terrorist organization, which will carry out more attacks. The whole European Union should be more forceful with Erdogan, and not only for solidarity with the Kurdish people, but because our territory is suffering a terrorist threat.

With the current situation, the leaders of the European Union are betraying the interests of Europe.

The conscious people of Europe, like the Valencian People, admire the struggle of the Kurdish People for democracy, self-determination and women’s liberation. These are universal values that restore our confi- dence in humanity.

We will always be indebted to the women and men of Kurdistan for stopping ISIS, and even if our rulers bow to the moral corruption of supporting regimes like Erdogan’s, it is clear to us that we will do our best to support our Kurdish sisters and brothers who are fighting for a more just world.

—★—

Opinion

Egyptian writer Abdullah: Silence on attacks is approval of Turkish occupation

ANF|28 November 2022

Egyptian journalist/writer Muhsin Abdullah spoke to ANF about the invasion attacks launched by the Turkish state against North and East Syria on November 19.

59 The İmralı Post #30

Abdullah pointed out that Turkish politicians who promoted Neo-Ottoman ideology attacked North and East Syria as part of a plan to implement the National Pact that advocated for territorial expansion. “Tur- key plans to occupy the cities where Kurds and Arabs live together. ISIS terrorism will benefit from these attacks. Because tens of thousands of ISIS members and their families are staying in camps and prisons under the control of the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces). The invading Turkish state also targeted the forces providing security in the Hol Camp where ISIS members are held. The Turkish state is committing all kinds of immoral violations in the region,” he said.

‘Arab countries did not find solution and cooperated with Turkey’

“International states have been silent. This means that they are partners with the invading Turkish state. Likewise, there has been silence in Arab countries. This is not the first time, but this silence means that the Turkish state is allowed to launch attacks in Syria and Iraq.”

Abdullah underlined that no Arab country has taken initiative to come up with a solution to the Syrian civil war. “Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, we have not seen any Arab state’s support for Syria. The entire Arab community has remained silent. They could not find any solution. Hence, Turkey is carrying out all kinds of attacks to massacre and plunder the people. Turkish state fascism seeks to maintain its power over the people,” he said.

‘SDF is main force to provide protection’

Abdullah emphasized that the SDF is the main force to protect Syria. He continued, “The main and patri- otic force in Syria is the SDF. It is fighting against Turkish occupation and ISIS terrorism. We have seen how the Syrian government did not object to the Turkish occupation and remained silent. The biggest fear of the Turkish state is the collapse of their fascist government through the unity of all peoples. And this will happen soon. Turkish fascism and the government will fall. We believe that the SDF and the people of the region will defeat the Turkish state by frustrating these attacks.”

“The Turkish state wants to disseminate its hostility towards the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) all over the world. Thus, by destroying the AANES, it wants to settle its terror force there. Turkey seeks to defame the Kurds by trying to create strife between the Kurds and other peo- ples,” Abdullah added.

Who Are We?

The International Initiative “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan — Peace in Kurdistan” was founded in March 1999, a month after Öcalan’s abduction from Kenya and his imprisonment by Turkey. Since its initial foundation, the International Initiative struggled for Abdullah Öcalan’s re- lease from prison so that he can play his rightful role in the

establishment of a just peace between the Turkish state and Kurdistan’s Workers Party (PKK). The International Initia- tive also aimed at contributing to the repairing of the ties between the Kurdish and Turkish peoples, as well as all other peoples of the Middle Eastern regions.

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The İmralı Post #30

In order to achieve its aims, the International Initiative followed several related paths. Influencing international and national audiences through international campaigns to in- terfere with Turkish state’s policies towards Abdullah Öcalan has been one of these paths. A second area of work the In- ternational Initiative committed itself is the dissemination of Öcalan’s views through art, publications and conferences. Finally, the International Initiative has also been active in raising awareness for Öcalan’s conditions and the human rights violations he faces through reports, fact-finding dele- gations and lobbying.

Campaigns

The International Initiative organizes signature campaigns to influence the policies towards Öcalan. One such cam- paign which was launched in 2012 by one thousand prelim- inary signatories including Gerry Adams, Prof. Antonio Ne- gri, Prof. Immanuel Wallerstein, Prof. Achin Vanaik, and other intellectuals, politicians, MPs, and NGOs from South America, Europe, Asia, Russia, and the Middle East. The campaign reached 10,328,623 signatures and may be the biggest signature campaign for the freedom of a political prisoner that the world has ever seen. It significantly chal- lenged the isolation that was enforced on Öcalan and possi- bly paved the ways for the peace talks that the Turkish state and Öcalan led between 2013 and 2015.

The International Initiative also organizes video cam- paigns that educate the public on Öcalan’s life-story, his prison conditions and the demands for his freedom.

Publications

The International Initiative translates, edits and publishes books written by Öcalan in different languages including in English, German, French, Spanish and Arabic.

It compiles brochures from his works on specific topics, such as democratic confederalism or women’s freedom.
It edits books on Öcalan that discuss his main ideas.

The International Initiative also publishes regular reports on Öcalan’s prison conditions and his isolation.

Conferences

The International Initiative organizes biannual conferences and invites scholars, activists, students and politicians to discuss Öcalan’s ideas in order to initiate a conversation be- tween different Movements around the world.

Delegations

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Every year on February 15 , which is the date of the abduc-

tion of Abdullah Öcalan, the International Initiative orga- nizes a group of internationally acclaimed people to take a trip to Turkey for a fact finding mission and publicizes their findings.

Lobbying

The International Initiative lobbies in the European Coun- cil, CPT and other international organizations against the human rights violations against Abdullah Öcalan and his total isolation in İmralı prison.

Art for Öcalan

This campaign aims to express the relationship between Ab- dullah Öcalan, Kurdish people, freedom and women’s free- dom and to educate the wider public on the past and present of the Kurdish people. The International Initiative has already collected art from Brazil, South Africa, USA, South America, Italy, Germany as well as Kurds from differ- ent parts of Kurdistan. These works have been printed in postcards, t-shirts and canvas and made available for solidar- ity sale.

Contact e-mail: imralipost@freeocalan.org
Websites: freeocalan.org | ocalanbooks.com ‖ Videos: vimeo.com/freeocalan