Turkish Parliament Passes Limited Amnesty Bill for PKK Fighters

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Türkiye's parliament on Monday approved a bill offering limited amnesty to some Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants who lay down their weapons, marking the first legislative step toward ending the decades-long conflict between Ankara and the PKK.

The bill passed with 468 votes in favor, 88 against and six abstentions. Backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, it provides for the suspension of prosecutions and prison sentences for certain offenses for five to 10 years.

The measure is expected to initially lead to the release of around 3,500 PKK-linked detainees, lawmakers said. If those covered by the law do not commit further offenses during the specified period, their investigations would be dropped and their sentences considered served.

However, the legislation excludes those convicted of serious crimes, including murder, and does not address the future of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed founder and leader of the PKK.

Ocalan, 77, has spent nearly 27 years in prison on Imrali Island near Istanbul. In February 2025, he issued a historic appeal calling on the PKK to disarm and pursue democratic means to advance the rights of Türkiye's Kurdish population.

Ocalan has remained central to the peace process, but Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said last week that his case does not fall within the scope of the new law. Yilmaz added that Ocalan could still contribute to the peace process without providing further details.

The legislation comes 18 months after Ocalan’s call for disarmament and represents a significant step in Ankara’s efforts to bring an end to a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people since the PKK launched its armed insurgency in 1984.