At a Glance

• Freedom Movement leadership delays final stance until reviewing the upcoming Turkish legislative text.
• Leadership warns excluding Abdullah Ocalan will obstruct the peace process from the outset.
• Movement expresses skepticism regarding the sincerity of Turkey's framework law.

The Freedom Movement leadership, an executive body overseeing the peace process after the dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), announced it will reserve its final stance until reviewing the upcoming Turkish legislative text, warning that excluding the legal status and freedom of imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan will obstruct the implementation of the peace process from the outset.

Key Statements and Focus Area

• The group stated, "we will present our definitive position and approach after we have seen the text."
• Leadership warned that omitting Ocalan "will create an obstacle to the law’s implementation."
• The statement stressed that using old labels "would, from the outset, undermine a process."

In a statement on Thursday, the Freedom Movement leadership expressed skepticism regarding the sincerity of Turkey's upcoming foundational peace legislation, citing public debates surrounding the drafting process.

The leadership stated that during a July 20 Imrali meeting, Abdullah Ocalan stressed that the proposed framework "must not be narrow, superficial, or lacking long-term vision," adding that "it is essential that it be a law genuinely aimed at achieving peace."

"As everywhere in the world, peace begins first and foremost with language. Continuing to use the terms 'terror' and 'terrorist organization' for a movement that has dissolved itself and ended its armed struggle against Turkey would, from the outset, undermine a process that concerns the future of our peoples," the statement added.

The leadership underlined that the law's language and content must align with its purpose for the peace process to advance.

The movement called for Ocalan to have a "direct role" in fulfilling the requirements of the ongoing peace process, adding that to make this possible, his status must be clarified and his freedom must be realized.

The leadership warned that if Ocalan's position is omitted, "it will create an obstacle to the law’s implementation from the very outset."

The statement further highlighted that limiting the peace process to disarmament contradicts its intent, noting that the group will announce its final stance after reviewing the legislative text.

"As we have stated on many previous occasions, we will present our definitive position and approach after we have seen the text of the law," the leadership stated.

"If the legislation proves to be a positive step, we will encourage the process and fulfill our responsibilities accordingly," the statement concluded.

FYI

The ongoing peace process gained significant momentum in May 2025 following the formal dissolution and disarmament of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). 

By mid-2026, the process advanced into a legislative phase as the Turkish Parliament began debating a foundational framework law to cement long-term stability and political reconciliation.

Aysegul Dogan, spokesperson for the People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), announced on Friday that the “Framework Law” will be brought swiftly to Parliament's agenda in the coming days, noting that preparations "are being finalized" to submit the draft "in the swiftest manner possible." 

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated yesterday that the draft text has been finalized and will be submitted to the general assembly "in the coming days."

A major political dispute has emerged over whether the upcoming “Framework Law” should include the physical freedom and official negotiating status of Ocalan. 

The Kurdish Freedom Movement and the DEM Party maintain that denying Ocalan his freedom to directly lead negotiations will render the peace process unimplementable.

Dive Deeper: Handpicked Stories for You

Follow Channel8 for continuous updates:

https://channel8.com/english/news/61688

https://channel8.com/english/news/61950

https://channel8.com/english/news/61702

https://channel8.com/english/news/61839

https://channel8.com/english/news/61754