News Center – Participants in the marches renewed their commitment to continue the struggle until the isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan is lifted, affirming that his freedom represents the key to resolving the crises of the Middle East and achieving social justice.

On October 9, 1998, the international conspiracy against Öcalan began and culminated in his arrest in Kenya on February 15, 1999, before his handover to Turkey. The operation involved several international intelligence agencies and aimed to undermine Öcalan’s project advocating peace and democracy — the Democratic Nation Project — which stood in direct opposition to authoritarian interests.

In condemnation of that conspiracy, residents of Raqqa Canton in North and East Syria organized a massive rally on Thursday, October 9, under the slogan “We condemn and denounce the international conspiracy against Apo and demand his physical freedom,” reaffirming their ongoing rejection of the plot and their demand for his release.

Naseem Mohammed, speaking on behalf of the Zenobia Women’s Gathering Council, stressed that the forces hostile to the Democratic Nation Project have not ceased their attempts to destroy it since the beginning of the conspiracy. She pointed out that Turkey, through its aggressive policies, seeks to sow discord among the components of Syrian society and to export its internal crises by fueling wars and occupying Syrian territories.
“Turkey has occupied the cities of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, committing grave violations against civilians and working to alter the region’s demographics by displacing its original inhabitants,” she said.

Mohammed emphasized that these policies threaten not only Kurds, Arabs, and Syriacs but the unity of all Syria and the future of the entire region.
“What Turkey is doing amounts to a crime against humanity — and against women and children in particular. The Democratic Nation Project we carry is one of peace, equality, and coexistence — the complete opposite of occupation, violence, and division,” she said.

She added that from within prison, Abdullah Öcalan has repeatedly called for peace, urging the Turkish state to adopt a political solution and end the conflict through dialogue, and to build a shared democratic future.
“Instead of responding, Turkey chose the path of war and repression because it knows well that Öcalan’s freedom would open the doors of liberation for all the peoples of the Middle East and bring down systems of tyranny and domination built on division and fear,” she said, noting that his freedom is not a personal demand but one shared by all who believe in peace and justice.

Mohammed concluded her speech with an appeal to the international community and human rights organizations to assume their moral and humanitarian responsibilities and take serious action to end Öcalan’s isolation, halt the Turkish occupation, and stop the daily violations committed against the people of the region.

Khawla Al-Ali, a member of the General Council, condemned the ongoing international conspiracy, saying:
“A trap was set for Leader Öcalan, and he was arrested illegally, without warning or any crime to justify it — except being a man of peace. This is a flagrant violation of law and justice.”

She added that the main goal of the conspiracy was to suppress Öcalan’s ideas and prevent his philosophy from spreading globally.
“This plot was carefully orchestrated by major world powers in coordination with the Turkish state to silence his ideas that challenge the authoritarian dominance those powers seek to impose on the world,” she said, emphasizing that the conspiracy failed in its objectives.
“The walls of İmralı prison could not confine his thought, nor could they separate his people from his ideas or stop them from demanding his freedom.”

Abeer Mohammed, an administrator in the Social Justice Council, underlined the importance of Öcalan’s release, noting that the region is passing through a sensitive phase marked by sectarian tensions among its communities. She referred to Öcalan’s recent messages to local tribes, which called for unity and solidarity as the only way to thwart schemes aimed at destabilizing the region.
She described the denial of Öcalan’s right to hope as a blatant violation of human rights:
“Despite being imprisoned for more than twenty-seven years and his advancing age, he continues to be denied even the right to hope. The Turkish state persists in violating humanitarian and international laws in its treatment of his case.”

She also highlighted the significant role of women in the struggle for Öcalan’s freedom:
“Thanks to his philosophy, women achieved liberation and overcame patriarchal mindsets that marginalized them. Women now have a leading role in all areas of life — and it is their responsibility to continue demanding and realizing his freedom. On behalf of the people of Raqqa, we pledge to follow his path and never stop fighting for justice and his physical freedom, because the freedom of women and societies lies in his freedom.”
 

Qamishlo Residents Condemn the International Conspiracy

Under the slogan “We condemn the conspiracy and demand the physical freedom of Leader Apo,” thousands of residents of Qamishlo took to the streets, affirming that Öcalan’s physical freedom will inevitably be achieved, as it represents the key to solving the Middle East’s crises and achieving peace and democracy.

Berwin Youssef, spokesperson for the Democratic Union Party (PYD), expressed her pride in the steadfast stance of the people of Qamishlo, who have shown the entire world that Abdullah Öcalan’s philosophy is the only path to resolving the region’s deep-rooted issues.
She stressed that, despite challenges and pressures, the people continue to follow Öcalan’s path and ideas with determination and resilience.

Youssef noted that through his steadfast resistance in İmralı Prison, Öcalan has managed to break through his isolation — the prison walls have not stopped his philosophy from spreading or his connection with his people.
She explained that through his profound thought and philosophical vision, Öcalan developed the Democratic Nation and Peoples’ Brotherhood Project, which she described as the only viable framework for achieving peace and democracy in the Middle East.

“As the peoples of North and East Syria, for the past 13 years we have been struggling to protect the gains of our revolution — built on Öcalan’s philosophy and ideas. We reject all schemes that aim to annihilate peoples; we have resisted and overcome every challenge,” she said.
“To build a free, democratic society, we will continue to follow Abdullah Öcalan’s ideas and will not allow any power to stand in the way of peoples’ freedom and unity. We will keep demanding his physical liberation and break every chain that hinders his freedom.”