Commission for Terror-Free Turkey persists in operations, selects its members
Terror-Free Turkey Initiative Gains Momentum in Parliament
A parliamentary commission, tasked with addressing the legal and political framework to eliminate terrorism and strengthen social cohesion and national unity, is currently overseeing the Terror-Free Turkey initiative. The commission, which began its work in August 2025, is composed of 51 members from various political parties.
The committee, chaired by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, aims to achieve consensus and joint action to remove terrorism from Turkey. The commission's key objectives include drafting legislative recommendations and assessing progress toward freedom, democracy, and the rule of law in the context of counterterrorism.
While the committee itself is not authorized to draft bills, it prepares recommendations for Parliament. A major proposal includes redefining the PKK’s status as "a terrorist organization in the process of dissolution and disarmament," reflecting recent PKK developments, including a symbolic disarmament event last month in northern Iraq.
The ruling party (AKP) plans to introduce a separate law dedicated to the initiative rather than amending existing counterterrorism laws. This new legislation would address the dissolution of terrorist groups, as the current Turkish Penal Code lacks provisions specifically on that issue. The bill will also offer guidelines for disarming other terrorist organizations, with parallels drawn to prior international disarmament examples like ETA in Spain and the IRA in Ireland.
The committee is expected to submit a detailed report to Parliament after completing its work, outlining recommended legal changes tied to the terror-free Turkey initiative. The committee's work is scheduled to continue until at least the end of 2025, with possibilities of mandate extensions if approved by a three-fifths majority of members.
The PKK's decision to dissolve and disarm, and the ongoing disarmament activities, are being closely monitored by Turkish officials. Plans include the evacuation of PKK camps in the Makhmur and Sinjar regions, with unconfirmed reports suggesting that PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan has urged camp residents to prepare for evacuation, facilitating the return of Turkish families previously residing under PKK control.
The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli expects all work regarding the terror-free Turkey process to be completed by the end of the year. The Kurdish population in Turkey's eastern and southeastern regions supports the process, according to Bahçeli. The committee will not directly propose bills but will likely refer its reports to other subcommittees of Parliament.
Lenient sentences for surrendering members of the PKK may be considered, and the committee is expected to recommend amendments in counterterrorism laws and the Turkish Penal Code to accommodate the needs of the initiative. The committee will weigh how the initiative will proceed, especially in terms of laws and regulations regarding the status of the PKK terrorist group and its members.
The first tangible progress of the terror-free Turkey initiative was made in February when Öcalan accepted Bahçeli's call and urged the group to lay down its weapons. The initiative is expected to continue its work until 2026, pending developments. Last month, some 30 PKK members, including a senior leader, burned their weapons in a ceremony in northern Iraq, marking the first time that the group had laid down arms in its campaign of violence for more than four decades.
- The Terror-Free Turkey initiative, currently being overseen by a parliamentary commission in Ankara, aims to address the legal and political framework to eliminate terrorism, particularly focusing on the PKK.
- The commission, which includes members from various political parties, is also tasked with strengthening social cohesion and national unity, and drafting legislative recommendations.
- As part of the initiative, a proposal has been made to redefine the PKK’s status as "a terrorist organization in the process of dissolution and disarmament," reflecting recent PKK developments.
- The committee will weigh how the initiative will proceed, especially in terms of laws and regulations regarding the status of the PKK terrorist group and its members, and may consider lenient sentences for surrendering PKK members.
