Addressing the Catalan Parliament on Thursday, Catalan MP Montserrat Vinyets Pages urged the Council of Europe’s anti-torture Committee (CPT) to act on the 25-year isolation of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan.“This February marks the 25th anniversary of the imprisonment in isolation of the Kurdish leader Mr. Abdullah Öcalan,” Vinyets stated, underscoring the severe conditions Öcalan has faced without any communication. She emphasised the absence of any news or information regarding Öcalan for the past three years, describing the situation as tantamount to torture.

Vinyets’ call to action in the Catalan Parliament follows her participation in an international delegation aimed at addressing Öcalan’s isolation and advocating for his release. The delegation, comprising representatives from various European parties and organisations, had previously visited Istanbul to meet with Öcalan’s legal team and human rights groups, highlighting the broader implications for human rights in Turkey.

“For responsibility and for democracy, we demand the immediate liberation of Mr. Öcalan and all Kurdish political prisoners,” Vinyets urged, appealing for the intervention of the CPT.

Her speech in the Catalan Parliament not only brought attention to Öcalan’s plight but also called for renewed efforts towards resolving the Kurdish issue peacefully.