DEM Party to share PKK ringleader Ocalan’s message on Feb. 28

Türkiye’s Kurdish-oriented Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) is set to hold a press conference on Feb. 28 to discuss its recent talks with PKK terrorist group’s ringleader Abdullah Ocalan and to share a statement from him, a senior party official said Wednesday to Reuters.

Government grants DEM delegation permission to visit Ocalan

The Turkish Justice Ministry has approved a visit by a DEM Party delegation to Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on Imrali Island since 1999.

The visit, scheduled for Thursday, marks the third time since December that party representatives have been allowed to meet with him, a ministry official confirmed.

This development is seen as part of a broader government initiative aimed at urging Ocalan to call on the PKK to lay down arms, potentially ending the decadeslong conflict but the question remains as it’s not known that PKK’s Syrian offshoot PYD/YPG will be laying down its arms or not.

The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union. The U.S.-backed SDF, led by the PKK’s Syrian branch YPG, is also seen by Ankara as a national threat to Türkiye.

Especially after the end of the Bashar al-Assad regime, the situation of the YPG has become one of Türkiye’s main agendas in the region, and the Syrian branch of the PKK has occupied and continues to occupy a large part of Syrian territory.

Ocalan’s expected message and controversy over format

A DEM Party official speaking to Reuters stated that ringleader Ocalan’s message is expected to be released on Friday, either in written or video format. While the party prefers a video message for greater impact, the Justice Minister has opposed the idea.

Justice Minister Tunc previously stated that a video statement would not be possible, “A video message is not possible,” Tunc said in response to the DEM Party’s request.