Pro-Kurdish lawmakers pay a visit to jailed PKK commander Ocalan - Kurdish Parliamentarians Pay a Visit to Imprisoned Leader Öcalan
In a significant turn of events, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has announced its intention to disarm and abandon its armed struggle for Kurdish rights, marking a historic step towards ending decades of conflict with the Turkish state. This decision comes after a call for disarmament and political democratization by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is currently imprisoned in Imrali, near Istanbul.
The disarmament process, which is expected to take several months, will see PKK fighters in the Kurdish region of Iraq ceremoniously destroy a first batch of their weapons between July 10 and 12. This event, a symbolic gesture of peace, follows a series of prior contacts aimed at reviving the peace process.
On December 28, 2024, pro-Kurdish MPs Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan met Öcalan for the first time in four and a half years, after calls from political figures and Öcalan himself urged collective political initiative and constructive engagement towards peace. The MPs had also earlier engaged with Turkish Parliament leadership and the Justice Ministry to address broader political and prison condition concerns related to Öcalan and Kurdish prisoners.
The pro-Kurdish DEM Party's delegation, led by MP Pervin Buldan, visited Öcalan on July 6, 2025, just before the key phase of the PKK's planned disarmament. This visit was significant given the imminent ceremony planned for PKK militants to begin surrendering their weapons, a move that could boost the peace process. The visit was evidently part of a coordinated political effort to support and oversee this historic disarmament process, reinforcing the legitimacy of the peace initiative and seeking to ensure constructive political dialogue continues.
The conflict between the PKK and the Turkish army has resulted in over 40,000 deaths since the PKK's engagement in armed struggle against the Turkish state began in 1984. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies. The PKK's disarmament is related to their decades-long struggle for Kurdish rights.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed that the planned disarmament ceremony could boost the peace process. However, the peace process may be affected by the outcome of the PKK disarmament. The success of this peace effort will depend on the commitment of all parties involved to maintain the dialogue and work towards a lasting solution.
The Commission has been consulted on the general news of the PKK's draft resolution in the Kurdish region, as the disarmament process and political democratization align with the politics and war-and-conflicts areas. Crime-and-justice also comes into play as the outcome of the PKK disarmament may significantly impact the peace process, and the commitment of all parties involved will determine the success of the lasting solution.
