Peregraf
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has confirmed receiving a letter from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, regarding the Kurdish peace process, according to Cemil Bayik, Executive Council Co-Chair of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK). Speaking in an interview with PKK-affiliated Sterk TV, Bayik stated that Ocalan is determined to transition the Kurdish issue from armed struggle to a political and legal framework.
“Ocalan wants to take the step he has already started to a bigger goal: to put the Kurdish issue from the battlefield to a political and legal basis in a democratic way,” Bayik said, urging all stakeholders to support Ocalan’s initiative. He also stressed that for the process to move forward, Ocalan’s prison conditions must change, allowing him to freely communicate his message.
Renewed Peace Process Discussions
The revelation follows a key meeting between Ocalan and a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) on December 28, 2024, at Imrali Island. During the meeting, Ocalan reportedly called for a renewed peace process, emphasizing the urgent need for Turkish-Kurdish unity and democratic reforms.
A statement issued by DEM officials Pervin Buldan and Ozturk Turkdogan outlined Ocalan’s proposed framework for resolving the Kurdish issue and addressing regional instability. Referencing conflicts in Gaza and Syria, Ocalan cautioned that foreign interventions were exacerbating the Kurdish question and called for immediate action.
He also urged all Turkish political parties to adopt an inclusive approach, emphasizing the role of the Turkish parliament. Ocalan suggested that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli could play decisive roles in the process.
“The strengthening of Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood is not only a historical responsibility but a decisive need for all nations,” Ocalan stated.
This meeting marked Ocalan’s first direct contact with pro-Kurdish lawmakers since the collapse of the 2014 peace process, which had aimed to end decades of conflict between Turkey and the PKK.
On January 22, 2025, DEM lawmakers met with Ocalan again, delivering responses from Turkish political parties regarding the potential for peace negotiations. Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on Imrali Island since 1999, has had limited communication with the outside world. His last family visit took place in October 2024 when his nephew, DEM lawmaker Omer Ocalan, met him for the first time since 2020.
In an unexpected political shift, the Turkish government appears to be softening its stance on Ocalan. MHP leader Devlet Bahceli recently proposed that Ocalan address the Turkish parliament to declare the PKK’s dissolution, a move that some analysts see as a potential turning point in Turkish-PKK relations.
Founded in 1978 with the goal of Kurdish independence, the PKK now advocates for autonomy within Turkey. However, it remains classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.
The DEM Party, which succeeded the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), has historically played a key role in peace negotiations with Ocalan. His latest communication with PKK leadership in Qandil has reignited hopes for renewed dialogue and a possible path toward lasting peace in Turkey.