Latest news with #People'sEqualityandDemocracyParty
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Turkish police detain dozes at banned Pride march, says lawmaker
STORY: :: Turkish police detain dozens who tried to take part in a banned Pride march, a lawmaker says :: Istanbul, Turkey :: June 29, 2025 :: Kezban Konukcu, Lawmaker, People's Equality and Democracy Party "The palace regime (Turkish presidency) will not continue their rule by ignoring and demonizing the LGBT+ community." :: Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment Footage obtained by Reuters showed police scuffling with a group of activists holding rainbow flags in the city centre before rounding them up and loading them into police vans. Kezban Konukcu, a lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party who attended the march, told Reuters that at least 30 people had been taken into custody. Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Istanbul governor's office had earlier deemed the march unlawful and said groups promoting the event were operating "illegally." Authorities have banned Pride marches in Turkey's largest city since 2015, citing public safety and security concerns. President Tayyip Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party has adopted increasingly harsh rhetoric against the LGBTQ+ community over the past decade.
09-05-2025
- Politics
PKK militant group close to announcing decision to disband, Turkey's pro-Kurdish party says
ANKARA, Turkey -- A Kurdish militant group could soon announce a historic decision to disband and disarm as part of a new peace initiative with Turkey to end a 40-year insurgency, a pro-Kurdish party suggested Friday. The armed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, whose leadership is based in northern Iraq, has already convened a long-awaited congress and could make an announcement 'at any moment,' according to Aysegul Dogan, a spokeswoman for the People's Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM. The PKK held a congress between May 5-7 in two locations in northern Iraq, according to a report Friday by the Firat News Agency, a media outlet close to the group. The group said that 'historic' decisions taken at the congress would be shared with the public soon. The report also said a statement by PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan outlining his 'perspectives and proposals' were read during the congress. In February, Ocalan called on his group to lay down arms and dissolve itself in a bid to end the conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since the 1980s. The outlawed PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and most Western states, announced a ceasefire days later but had set conditions to disband, including the establishment of a legal mechanism for peace talks. The latest peace initiative was launched in October by Devlet Bahceli, a far-right Turkish politician who suggested that Ocalan, who is imprisoned on an island off Istanbul, could be granted parole if his group renounces violence and disbands.
New York Times
27-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
In Turkey, Jailed Kurdish Leader Urges Fighters to Disarm
The imprisoned leader of a Kurdish guerrilla movement that has been waging a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state for decades called on Thursday for his fighters to lay down their arms. The Kurdistan Workers' Party, or P.K.K., is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and other countries. The group's leader, Abdullah Ocalan, made his appeal in a written statement that was read aloud during a news conference by members of Turkey's main pro-Kurdish political party who had just visited him in prison. Mr. Ocalan called for the P.K.K. to lay down its weapons, saying in the statement that the group has completed its life-span and should disband. The rare message from Mr. Ocalan raised the possibility that a conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people over four decades could finally end. It could also echo across borders, given Mr. Ocalan's profound influence over members of the group in Turkey and Iraq as well as affiliated Kurdish militias in Syria and Iran. But there was little indication of what would happen next. There has been scant public discussion of who would monitor compliance with Mr. Ocalan's call, what would happen to fighters who comply with it or what — if anything — the government has offered in exchange for the disarmament. Mr. Ocalan's appeal came after a series of talks that included Turkish officials; Mr. Ocalan himself; and members of Turkey's main pro-Kurdish party, the People's Equality and Democracy Party, or D.E.M. In a speech to members of his political party in January, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said the government had offered Mr. Ocalan's group no concessions but that ending the conflict would benefit Turks and Kurds alike. The goal of the talks was to get 'the terror group to disband itself, to surrender its arms unconditionally,' he said. But in an interview published last week by the P.K.K.-linked Firat News Agency, a senior member of the group suggested that many issues remained unresolved. 'No one should think that there will be an easy negotiation at the table, signatures will be made and everything will be solved,' said the senior member, Duran Kalkan. 'The other side wants to eliminate the P.K.K.' The group has been battling the Turkish state since the early 1980s, attacking police stations and military posts and carrying out bombings that have killed many civilians. It began as a secessionist group that sought to create an independent state for Turkey's Kurdish minority but now says it seeks greater rights for Kurds inside Turkey. For many Turks, Mr. Ocalan is the country's most despised terrorist. Turkish officials and news outlets often refer to him as 'baby killer' or 'chief terrorist.' Convicted in 1999 of leading an armed terrorist group, Mr. Ocalan has been in prison for a quarter-century. Photos of him since have been rare. Turkey and the P.K.K. have tried over the years to resolve the conflict, most recently through peace talks that started in 2011. But negotiations broke down in 2015, ushering in a deadly new phase. Last October, a powerful political ally of Mr. Erdogan made a surprising public call to Mr. Ocalan, requesting that he tell his fighters to lay down their arms and end the conflict. That led to limited visits from relatives and political allies of Mr. Ocalan to explore the possibility of a new peace process.
Voice of America
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Voice of America
Turkish delegation meets with Kurdish leader in Iraq amid peace efforts
A Turkish opposition party delegation arrived in Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region Sunday against the backdrop of peace efforts between Ankara and a banned Kurdish separatist movement in Turkey. The delegation led by Sirri Sureyya Onder and Pervin Buldan, two senior officials with the pro-Kurdish People's Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM, in Turkey, met with Masoud Barzani, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party — the dominant Kurdish party in Iraq — in Irbil Sunday. Barzani's office said in a statement that they discussed 'the peace process in Turkey' and that the Turkish delegation conveyed a message from Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of Turkey's banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Barzani 'stressed the need for all parties to intensify their efforts and endeavors to enable the peace process to achieve the desired results' and reiterated 'his full readiness to provide assistance and support to the peace process in Turkey and make it a success,' the statement said. The DEM party has long pressed for greater democracy in Turkey and rights for the country's Kurdish population, and to improve conditions for the imprisoned Ocalan. Ocalan, 75, founded the PKK, in 1978, which began an armed insurrection for an autonomous Kurdish state in Turkey's southeast in 1984, costing tens of thousands of lives. The group is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies. The central Iraqi government in Baghdad announced a ban on the group, which maintains bases in northern Iraq, last year. Captured in 1999 and convicted of treason, Ocalan has been serving a life sentence on Imrali Island in the Marmara Sea. The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has traditionally had an antagonistic relationship with the left-wing DEM party, frequently ousting its elected officials on charges of ties to the PKK and replacing them with state appointed officials. However, this icy relationship began thawing last October, when Erdogan's coalition partner, far-right nationalist politician Devlet Bahceli suggested that Ocalan could be granted parole, if his group renounces violence and disbands. The peace effort comes at a time when Erdogan may need support from the DEM party in parliament to enact a new constitution that could allow him to stay in power for unlimited terms. The Turkish Constitution doesn't allow Erdogan, who has been in power since 2003 as prime minister and later as president, to run for office again unless an early election is called — something that would also require the support of the pro-Kurdish party. Even as the latest peace efforts are underway, Erdogan's government has widened a crackdown on the opposition, arresting journalists and politicians. Several elected Kurdish mayors have been ousted from office and replaced with state appointed officials, the latest this Saturday, when the mayor of Van municipality in eastern Turkey was removed from his post and replaced with the state-appointed governor. Meanwhile, conflict is ongoing between Turkish-backed armed groups and Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria. Turkey views the Syrian Democratic Forces, a U.S.-backed military Kurdish alliance in Syria, as an extension of the PKK. The SDF is in negotiations with the new government in Damascus following the ouster of then Syrian President Bashar Assad in a rebel offensive. While most former insurgent groups have agreed to dissolve and integrate into the new Syrian army, the SDF has refused so far. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday that the government would reconsider its military presence in northeastern Syria if that country's new leaders eliminate the presence of the PKK in the area. Also Saturday, Kurds in northeastern Syria staged a mass protest to demand Ocalan's release.
Arab News
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Turkish opposition party delegation meets with Kurdish leader in Iraq as part of PKK peace efforts
BAGHDAD: A Turkish opposition party delegation arrived in Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region Sunday against the backdrop of peace efforts between Ankara and a banned Kurdish separatist movement in Turkiye. The delegation led by Sirri Sureyya Onder and Pervin Buldan, two senior officials with the pro-Kurdish People's Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM, in Turkiye, met with Masoud Barzani, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party — the dominant Kurdish party in Iraq — in Irbil Sunday. Barzani's office said in a statement that they discussed 'the peace process in Turkiye' and that the Turkish delegation conveyed a message from Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of Turkiye's banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Barzani 'stressed the need for all parties to intensify their efforts and endeavors to enable the peace process to achieve the desired results' and reiterated 'his full readiness to provide assistance and support to the peace process in Turkiye and make it a success,' the statement said. The DEM party has long pressed for greater democracy in Turkiye and rights for the country's Kurdish population, and also to improve conditions for the imprisoned Ocalan. Ocalan, 75, founded the PKK, in 1978, which began an armed insurrection for an autonomous Kurdish state in Turkiye's southeast in 1984, costing tens of thousands of lives. The group is considered a terrorist organization by Turkiye and its Western allies. The central Iraqi government in Baghdad announced a ban on the group, which maintains bases in northern Iraq, last year. Captured in 1999 and convicted of treason, Ocalan has been serving a life sentence on Imrali island in the Marmara Sea. The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has traditionally had an antagonistic relationship with the left-wing DEM party, frequently ousting its elected officials on charges of ties to the PKK and replacing them with state appointed officials. However, this icy relationship began thawing last October, when Erdogan's coalition partner, far-right nationalist politician Devlet Bahceli suggested that Ocalan could be granted parole, if his group renounces violence and disbands. The peace effort comes at a time when Erdogan may need support from the DEM party in parliament to enact a new constitution that could allow him to stay in power for unlimited terms. The Turkish Constitution doesn't allow Erdogan, who has been in power since 2003 as prime minister and later as president, to run for office again unless an early election is called — something that would also require the support of the pro-Kurdish party. Even as the latest peace efforts are underway, Erdogan's government has widened a crackdown on the opposition, arresting journalists and politicians. Several elected Kurdish mayors have been ousted from office and replaced with state appointed officials, the latest this Saturday, when the mayor of Van municipality in eastern Turkiye was removed from his post and replaced with the state-appointed governor. Meanwhile, conflict is ongoing between Turkish-backed armed groups and Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria. Turkiye views the Syrian Democratic Forces, a US-backed military Kurdish alliance in Syria, as an extension of the PKK. The SDF is in negotiations with the new government in Damascus following the ouster of then Syrian President Bashar Assad in a rebel offensive. While most former insurgent groups have agreed to dissolve and integrate into the new Syrian army, the SDF has refused so far. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday that the government would reconsider its military presence in northeastern Syria if that country's new leaders eliminate the presence of the PKK in the area. Also Saturday, Kurds in northeastern Syria staged a mass protest to demand Ocalan's release.
