How Turkish media covered Ocalan’s historic call for PKK terrorist group dissolution

Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned ringleader of the PKK terrorist organization, made a historic call on Feb. 27, 2025, urging the PKK and other armed groups in the region to lay down their arms and dissolve.

His statement, delivered in Kurdish, Turkish, English, and Arabic, quickly became the top news story in Türkiye, sparking widespread media coverage and political debate.

While many national TV channels broadcasted the statement live, some refrained from airing the initial Kurdish-language segment. Notably, TRT Kurdi, Türkiye’s state-run Kurdish-language broadcaster, did not air Ocalan’s statement.

Hurriyet: ‘Lay down your arms, disband yourself’

Türkiye’s major newspaper Hurriyet featured Ocalan’s call on its front page with the headline: “Ocalan Addresses the PKK: Disarm, and Disband”.

The report emphasized Ocalan’s words: “I take responsibility for this era. Convene your congress. All groups must lay down their arms, and the PKK must dissolve itself.” The newspaper also published a photo from Ocalan’s meeting with the DEM Party delegation at Imrali.

Posta: “A historic step towards a terror-free Türkiye”

Daily Posta called the statement a “Historic Call”, underlining its potential to reshape Türkiye’s counterterrorism efforts.

The newspaper highlighted the government’s reaction, quoting a high-ranking ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) official who stated, “We focus on results.”

Milliyet: ‘Final act in terrorism’

Another major publication, Milliyet, described the event as the “Final Act in Terrorism”, portraying the PKK as an organization that had reached the end of its lifespan.

The report emphasized Ocalan’s declaration: “I bear historical responsibility.” Milliyet also covered public reactions, noting that large crowds followed the statement in city squares in Van, Diyarbakir, and Mersin.

Aksam: ‘Ringleader dissolves organization’

Aksam reported Ocalan’s call with the headline: “The organization (PKK) has lost its meaning, lay down your arms.”

The newspaper focused on how this call would be received within the PKK and whether the organization would comply.

Türkiye Daily: ‘Call is Made, now it’s time for dissolution’

Türkiye Daily highlighted Ocalan’s statement: “The PKK has completed its mission.”

The newspaper also noted that the call came exactly 140 days after Bahceli’s remarks urging Ocalan to take such a step.

Additionally, it featured the government’s response: “If this does not yield results, necessary actions will be taken.”

Yeni Safak: ‘If they are sincere, this is a historic step’

The pro-government Yeni Safak framed the announcement as a “historic turning point”.

The paper emphasized that the process began with Bahceli’s demands and noted Ocalan’s words: “The PKK must be dissolved.”

Sozcu: ‘A new trap is being set for nation’

The opposition-leaning Sozcu newspaper strongly criticized the statement, suggesting that Ocalan was following Bahceli’s lead.

The paper speculated that the PKK ringleader was seeking a “right to hope,” referring to potential legal discussions regarding his imprisonment.

Sozcu also pointed out that the official Imrali meeting photo included three PKK terrorists but chose not to publish the image, instead using a picture from a press conference held in a hotel in Taksim.

Aydinlik: ‘Ocalan surrenders to reality’

The Aydinlik newspaper framed the statement as a forced move rather than a genuine call for peace.

The paper quoted Vatan Party leader Dogu Perincek, who said, “The Turkish army has defeated the PKK; Ocalan has surrendered to this reality.”

The report also included Perincek’s assertion that “The U.S. and Israel will not be pleased with this announcement.”