NEWS CENTER – Many cities across Europe had protests to demand the physical freedom of Rêber APO – Abdullah Ocalan, as it enters the 24th year of his isolation under the torture system of isolation in Imrali.
MANNHEIM
The people of Kurdistan, who came together in Wasserturm upon the call of the Mannheim Solidarity Committee with Rojava and the Mannheim Ludwigshafen Kurdish Cultural Center, said that the isolation on Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan should be ended and his freedom should be ensured, the PKK ban lifted, the Kurds and their actions not criminalized; He demanded an end to the invasion attacks, arms sales to the Turkish state, and the pressure and threats on the HDP in Kurdistan.
The march started with the opening speech of Roland Schuster on behalf of Die Linke. Slogans were chanted in Turkish, Kurdish and German throughout the march, where the public showed great interest. Die Linke Deputy Gökay Akbulut and party representatives and MLPD representatives attended the rally with the banner “Get out of Rojava”, the antifascist institutions operating in and around Mannheim with their flags and banners, and Omas Gegen Rechts pennants and t-shirts.
The walk, which started from the Wasserturm, continued until Altemessplatz.
Roland Schuster and Member of Parliament Gökay Akbulut made a speech at Altemessplatz, drawing attention to the invasion attacks in Rojava and Bashurê Kurdistan and condemning the arms sales of Germany and other European countries to Turkey. During the rally and the march, slogans such as “PKK Ban be lifted”, “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan”, “Hoch die Internationale Solidaritat”, “Biji Serok Apo”, “Biji Rojava” were chanted. Towards the end of the rally, the police’s detention of a few of the participants drew criticism and was condemned by the speakers.
DUSSELDORF
Kurdistanis held a rally and march today in Düsseldorf, the capital of Germany’s NRW state. The action that started in front of DGB Haus at 14.30 was organized by MED Federation and NRW YJK-E. The action, attended by Kurdistanis living in and around Düsseldorf, started with a moment of silence. Kurdistanis first held a rally.
Making a speech at the rally, MED Federation Co-chair Şevîn Sincer said:
“They organized an international conspiracy against our Leader and handed him over to the Turkish state in a terrorist-like manner. We will never forget that day. From here to Imrali, we salute our Leadership and its resistance that has lasted for 24 years. We bow respectfully.”
After the meeting, the march started. Kurdistanis marching on the busy streets of Dusseldorf carried banners demanding the freedom of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan. During the march, the slogan “Freiheit für Öcalan, Frieden in Kurdistan” (Freedom for Öcalan, Peace to Kurdistan) was chanted.
During the march, a statement for the public in Düsseldorf was read and information was given with a megaphone. The statement included the following statements: “Many European states are afraid to resolve their demands for democracy, equality and freedom through dialogue. Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan came to Europe 24 years ago to solve the Kurdish problem in line with these demands, but the European states did not accept him. They became a partner in the conspiracy, and Abdullah Öcalan was handed over to Turkey. As the Kurdish people, our demand is as follows: The CPT and the UN should act to end the torture system in Imrali as soon as possible and send an emergency committee to Imrali.”
At the end of the march, the other co-chair of the MED Federation, Ahmet Kobanê, made a speech. Kobanê said: “Kurdish girls and youth set their bodies on fire to nullify the conspiracy. No one in the history of the world burned themselves for kings, prophets or pashas. However, the sons of the Kurdish people did this. Because the Kurdish people recognized the reality and philosophy of Leader Apo. That’s why these actions took place. We commemorate all our martyrs with respect.”
PARIS
The people, who came together with the call of the Democratic Kurdish Community Center (DKTM), which operates in the suburb of Villiers Le Bel in the capital Paris, held a march. During the march, the crowd marched to the DKTM headquarters, chanting the slogans “Bijî Serok Apo”, “Bê Serok jiyan nabe”, “Bi can bi xwîn em ji terene ey Serok”. Speeches on the International Conspiracy were held in front of the Center in its 24th year, and a call was made for the Europe-based march to be held in Strasbourg on 11 February.
LORIENT
With an action in Lorient, France, the isolation on Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the Paris Massacre were protested. Kurdistanis living in the city of Lorient gathered in the Place François Mitterand area in the evening. The marchers distributed leaflets in French along the way, shouting slogans such as “Martyr namirin”, Bijî Serok Apo” and “Jin Jiyan Azadî” in French and Kurdish.
The action continued with speeches and the message was given that the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan would be lifted and that more areas would be reached for his freedom. It continued: “The Turkish state, in the person of Leader Apo, is carrying out a policy of genocide against the Kurdish people. The Turkish state recklessly continues its threats and attacks against Rojava and aims to occupy the whole of Rojava. The Turkish state’s attacks against Bashure Kurdistan continue, and internationally prohibited chemical weapons and bombs are used in these attacks. By committing war crimes in front of the whole world, the Turkish state is targeting the will and achievements of the Kurdish people, which have paid great prices.
The action called for strong participation in the central march in Strasbourg for 11 February. In addition, it was stated that as a result of the cover-up of France in the face of the massacre that took place in Paris 10 years ago, the massacre on 23 December led to the massacre, and emphasized that “neither our anger nor our rebellion will subside until these massacres are clarified with our anger and rebellion.”
MANTES-LA-JOLIE
The freedom of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan was expressed with the slogans “Bijî Serok Apo” and “Bê Serok jiyan nabe” during the march led by the Mantes-la-Jolie DKTM, which starts in front of the Center at 18.00 and continues to the municipality of Mantes-la-Jolie. .
Then, with the sit-in in the center of Mantes-la-Jolie, the road was closed to traffic for a short time. In the statement, it was demanded that the aggravated isolation on Abdullah Öcalan be lifted and that he be freed as soon as possible. It was emphasized that European states should abandon the hypocritical policy towards the Kurdish people.
MARSEILLE
Thousands of people gathered in Canabiere Square upon the call of the Marseille Democratic Kurdish Community Center and marched against the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.
At the call of the Democratic Kurdish Community Center (DKTM), Arin Mirkan Council and Tevgera Ciwanên Şoreşger (TCŞ), the people poured into the fields. The banners stating that the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the United Nations (UN) are responsible for the slightest misfortune were carried at the front. Again in French, banners such as “Öcalan has been in heavy isolation for 23 months”, “Kurdish People’s Leader Öcalan has been physically imprisoned for 24 years” and “The CPT and the ECHR must do their part immediately” were carried.
‘WE CARRY OUR ACTIONS TO A DIFFERENT DIMENSION’
The slogans “Be Serok Jiyan Nabe” and “Liberte Pour Ocalan” were chanted frequently during the march from Canebiere to the Marseille Representation of the European Parliament. Speeches were made on behalf of the institutions at the rally held after the march. First of all, in the speech made on behalf of TCŞ, it was underlined that the CPT and other European institutions should abandon their way of distracting the Kurdish people and giving false information. The statement in action said:
“As in the conspiracy, European states and institutions are making fun of the will of the Kurds today. However, we as the youth of Europe express and warn again. If the CPT does not reveal the facts, we will take our actions to a different dimension. Everyone should know this.”
Later, in the statement made on behalf of DKTM, it was said:
“There has been no news of our national leader, Mr. Abdullah Öcalan and his friends for 23 months. He is not allowed to meet with anyone, especially his lawyers and his family, and all his communication rights are banned and usurped for various reasons. We are concerned about the life of our Leader. We call on organizations such as the CPT and the UN to fulfill their responsibilities. It should not be forgotten that our Leader is not our red line, it is our life, and everyone should know that we will not stop doing whatever it takes to protect our lives.”
