Ankara – July 24, 2025
Youth from Italy, Germany and France have gathered under the name of “Insisting on Freedom” Delegation in Ankara, to apply for a meeting with Abdullah Öcalan. In their press release they state that they came to Ankara to “support Mr. Abdullah Öcalan’s efforts in the Peace and Democratic Society process” and want to discuss with him because they see his “political paradigm of Mr. Öcalan is a source of inspiration for pogressive forces.”
Today, the delegation applied for a meeting with Öcalan at the Ministry of Justice in Ankara. After this, they met with the co-chair of DEM party Tulay Hatimoğulları in the headquarters of DEM party in Ankara. In the next days the delegation will meet with the Asrin Law office in Istanbul and representatives of the Womens Initiative “I Need Peace”. Furthermore they will discuss with the youth of the HDK (congress of the people), the DEM party youth and representatives of the free press.
‘We are the “Insisting on Freedom” delegation, formed out of young people from Italy, Germany and France who are united in the search for an alternative life. We believe in real democracy, the sisterhood and brotherhood of peoples, and a society in harmony with nature. s internationalist youth of the “Insisting on Freedom” delegation we are taking part in the international campaign “We want to meet Öcalan”, demanding the immediate physical freedom of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan.
Today, 24 July, we are in Ankara to demand a meeting with Öcalan. On 24 July 2015, the Turkish state made the decision in this city to bomb the Qandil Mountains. This act undermined Mr. Abdullah Öcalan’s peace efforts at the time and brought an end to the peace process (2013-2015). We are here today to support Mr Abdullah Öcalan’s efforts for peace in the Peace and Democratic Society process. Dven under the harshest conditions of isolation, Mr. Öcalan has been able to pave the way for this process. We believe that his participation under free working conditions will ensure a successful outcome in the current process. Because of this, on this historic day, we call for the immediate release of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan from the prison island of Imrali!
Developments in relation to this peace process are being closely followed all over the world. As young people living in Europe, we see how the political paradigm of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan is a source of inspiration for progressive forces. In these times, which are defined by war and violence, the call and the ideas of Mr. Öcalan are resonating strongly with the peoples desire for peace. At a time when war is escalating around the world, especially in the Middle East, we feel the need to take a clear position: as Mr Öcalan said, long-lasting peace can only be established through democratic politics, not weapons. Over the next few days, we will be in Istanbul to discuss Mr Öcalan’s ideas with various political figures. However, we also want to discuss these ideas directly with Mr Öcalan himself.
Inspired by Mr Öcalan’s vision of a new internationalism, we aim to build bridges between peoples.
As young people, we recognise our responsibility for social transformation and communal organisation.
We insist on freedom.”