DEM Party Co-Chair Says Kurdish Peace Process at Critical Stage, Urges Legal Framework

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Tülay Hatimoğulları, co-chair of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), said on Tuesday that Abdullah Öcalan's role and position is an "unavoidable necessity" for achieving a lasting peace, as she urged swift legal steps to advance the Kurdish peace process.

Addressing her party's parliamentary group meeting, Hatimoğulları stated that the ongoing efforts to resolve the Kurdish issue had reached a critical stage and emphasized the importance of adopting a comprehensive "framework law" before parliament adjourns.

"The process is currently passing through a very important threshold. It is passing through a decision-making threshold," she said, describing the proposed legislation as a mechanism that could guarantee peace, strengthen the rule of law, and create hope for a shared future.

Hatimoğulları argued that the framework law should receive support from both the ruling bloc and the opposition and include all segments of society. She said the legislation should help move the Kurdish issue away from a security-focused approach and toward a foundation based on peace and equal rights.

Referring to the DEM Party's recent delegation visit to İmralı prison, Hatimoğulları said Öcalan had presented a new roadmap to overcome current obstacles in the process.

"In the last meeting in İmralı, Öcalan presented a new formula and roadmap to overcome the current impasses and delays," she said, adding that the party's delegation had also discussed the framework law during talks with the ruling Justice and Development Party.

She maintained that the legislation should produce concrete legal outcomes and establish mechanisms that would make the peacebuilding process more predictable.

Hatimoğulları also addressed the situation in Syria, condemning attacks against the Alevi community and calling for international action.

She said hundreds of organizations from Türkiye, Europe, the United States, and Australia had signed a petition under the slogan "Stop the genocide against Alevis," with the signatures set to be submitted to the Turkish parliament and the United Nations.

Calling on international human rights and women's organizations to investigate alleged crimes against civilians and women in Syria, Hatimoğulları accused the Damascus government of being "the perpetrator, instigator, and facilitator" of such acts.

Despite the challenges facing the peace process, she said her party remained committed to pursuing dialogue and democratization.

"We all know that the path to peace and democratization is difficult. But we are determined to walk this path," Hatimoğulları said.