Kurds rally in Türkiye for Abdullah Öcalan’s release
Al Jazeera reported that thousands demanded freedom for the jailed PKK leader and other prisoners after the group renounced armed struggle.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
1 min read
Thousands of Kurds rallied in Türkiye to call for the release of Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, Al Jazeera reported. The demonstration matters because it comes after the PKK and Öcalan renounced armed struggle against Türkiye last year, according to Al Jazeera.
Öcalan has been in prison since 1999, Al Jazeera reported. He was jailed for leading a decades-long armed insurgency against the Turkish state, according to the broadcaster.
Demonstrators also called for other prisoners to be freed, Al Jazeera reported. The report did not give further details on the prisoners named by protesters or any response from Turkish authorities.
The PKK’s position has shifted since Öcalan and the group renounced armed struggle against Türkiye last year, according to Al Jazeera. The demand for Öcalan’s release remains a central issue for many Kurds in Türkiye, as reflected in the rally reported by the network.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.