DEM Party Urges Transparency in Ocalan Talks, Calls for Momentum in Peace Process

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Spokesperson Aysegul Dogan on Thursday called for full transparency and renewed political commitment in the ongoing peace process, urging that the minutes of the recent meeting with Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan be made public.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s headquarters, Dogan described the Commission for National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy’s recent visit to Imrali Island—where Ocalan is imprisoned—as a “historic” development for advancing a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue.

“This meeting represents the first direct contact established with the primary interlocutor for a democratic solution,” she said. “We believe this dialogue will strengthen and accelerate the process, and we will soon see how much momentum it generates.”

Dogan urged parliament to expedite the necessary legal steps to support the process. “It is time to complete the Commission’s report and swiftly implement the required legal regulations in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. These issues are critical for all of us,” she stated.

Call for Public Access to Meeting Minutes

Reiterating her party’s stance on transparency, Dogan said the content of the Imrali meeting should be open to public scrutiny.

“Just as the Turkish public can access the minutes of wiretaps published on the Grand National Assembly’s website, the minutes of the commission’s meeting with Mr. Ocalan should be available in the same manner,” she said.

Dogan rejected claims of “secret minutes” as manipulative. “We assert that this is false; no such information was provided to us or shared publicly by the commission. Transparency in this matter must not be compromised.”

‘Democratization Steps Cannot Be Delayed’

The spokesperson criticized what she described as insufficient political commitment from the government and emphasized that democratization measures should accompany the peace process.

“Instead of diverting the discussion from its essence, we should focus on what can be done. The socialization of peace requires a collective will,” she said. “The process should benefit from the contributions of the democratic opposition. Criticism and identifying its shortcomings are essential for its success.”

Dogan expressed regret that not all components of the commission were allowed to join the Imrali visit. “This reflects a lack of political will toward a democratic resolution,” she said, stressing that the responsibility should not fall solely on the DEM Party.

Expanding Access to Ocalan

She also called for broader access to Ocalan for political groups, academics, journalists, and civil society representatives.

“These opportunities must be provided,” she said. “We are working to build equal, just, and lasting peace and to promote a democratic society. Other political parties that did not participate in the island meeting but support this goal will, we believe, join this long journey in the future.”

Calling for stronger engagement from across the political spectrum, Dogan added, “Democracy, change, and transformation require a strong democratic opposition, especially the Republican People's Party. Peace and democracy are responsibilities shared by all.”

Renewed Call for Demirtas’s Release

Dogan concluded by reiterating her party’s demand for the release of former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtas and other defendants in the Kobani Case.

“What is expected? What is needed for Selahattin Demirtas’s release?” she asked, referring to Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc. “The rulings of the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court must be implemented. This injustice must end now.”

She stressed that all those imprisoned in the “Kobani Conspiracy Case,” including Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, should be released immediately.

The DEM Party maintains that advancing transparency, democratization, and broad political participation is essential to sustaining progress in the peace process.