DEM Party Calls for Parliamentary Commission to Meet Abdullah Ocalan

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) has renewed its demand that Turkey’s parliamentary Democracy, Brotherhood, and National Unity Commission hold direct talks with imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan, underlining his decisive role in advancing a genuine peace process.

The commission, established earlier this year, is scheduled to convene its sixth meeting this week with the participation of former parliamentary speakers and a number of constitutional experts. However, the DEM Party has voiced concern over what it described as the “limited and insufficient” dialogue carried out so far, stressing that Ocalan’s inclusion is essential to move the process forward.

In a public statement, the DEM Party warned that the current state of the peace process remains “unfavorable,” emphasizing that direct engagement with Ocalan is necessary.

Şırnak MP Zeki Irmaz stated that the DEM Party seeks “a successful and sustainable peace process” that can achieve its long-term objectives. “For us, this process is crucial, and we, as the DEM Party, will mobilize all our efforts to ensure it reaches a genuine conclusion in the spirit of peace,” he said, urging the commission to meet Ocalan as part of its mandate.

Irmaz further underscored that Kurdish rights must be addressed through political dialogue, not security-based measures.

Gulistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, head of the DEM Party parliamentary group, has consistently pressed for the overhaul of Turkey’s anti-terror legislation as a prerequisite for peace. She argued that the law, in its current form, obstructs democratic engagement and fuels conflict rather than resolving the Kurdish question.

Koçyiğit said the commission initially sought input from experts, institutions, and academics, but weekly sessions have proven insufficient for advancing the initiative. She called for an extension of the commission’s work and immediate legal amendments, including suspension of the anti-terror law, to address the roots of the conflict.

“From the very beginning, the Kurdish question in Turkey was denied recognition, while Kurds in Syria were attacked, and basic freedoms in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq were undermined,” she said. “Under such conditions, peace cannot be achieved. A unified political mentality is essential, and this requires recognizing Kurds across all parts of Kurdistan.”

Ahmet Kaya, leader of the People and Freedom Party, also urged broad Kurdish participation in the peace process, stressing that it cannot be left to a single party. “This process must not remain the responsibility of one political movement alone,” he said. “All Kurdish parties and organizations must take part in advancing it.”

Other Kurdish political figures outside the DEM Party echoed the same sentiment, noting that the time has come for Kurdish rights to be discussed within the framework of the peace process. They called for joint efforts among Kurdish parties to ensure the issue is addressed comprehensively.

A DEM Party delegation, expected to include Pervin Buldan, Mithat Sancar, and a regional governor, is scheduled to visit İmralı Island prison on Thursday, August 28, 2025, to meet with Abdullah Ocalan directly. The visit is anticipated to mark a significant step in the DEM Party’s strategy of placing Ocalan’s views at the center of dialogue on peace and reconciliation.

Koçyiğit reiterated that Ocalan’s perspectives must be considered as a central component of the commission’s work. “Abdullah Ocalan’s views are indispensable for achieving peace,” she said. “We reject the military mindset that dominates Ankara’s approach. Only through political dialogue that embraces Ocalan’s role can a lasting and just solution to the Kurdish question be achieved.”