The spokespersons of the Catalan Parliament Presidency Council issued a statement in response to the Turkish state's invasion attacks in Kurdistan territory, saying the following:

"While attempting to play the role of mediator in the Ukraine crisis and portraying himself as a man siding with peace, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched a renewed large-scale military operation against Southern Kurdistan (Northern Iraq). The Turkish state's goal is to evacuate its people from that area and invading the region.

The Turkish state and Erdogan's leadership are based on a campaign of denial and war against the Kurdish people. Erdogan's efforts to mediate on the international stage also serve to conceal the genocide and war strategy he has implemented in Turkey, Kurdistan, and the region as a whole.

'THE TURKISH STATE WANTS TO EXPAND ITS INVASION'

The Turkish state launched a new military operation on April 17 to take the Şikefta Birîndara, Kurojahro, and Çiyayê Res areas in Southern Kurdistan's Zap region. The Turkish Armed Forces utilize heavy artillery, warplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles, and helicopters in this unlawful cross-border operation, as well as helicopters to transport ground forces to the region. Turkish forces intend to extend their invasion beyond Zap into the Metîna and Avaşîn-Basyan regions.

The employment of heavy weapons and ground forces poses a severe threat to the entire region, and the Kurdish unity throughout Kurdistan is a response to this aggression.

The recent Newroz celebrations on March 21 contained a declaration for Kurdish national unity, and over 10 million Kurds in Northern Kurdistan and Turkey sent a clear message to Erdogan: They would not submit to Erdogan's cruelty and extermination policy. Torture and death of Kurdish political prisoners, attacks on Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) offices, and arrests of those attending Newroz celebrations have all increased after the Newroz celebrations. Meanwhile, Turkish airstrikes against Kurdish targets in Rojava, as well as in northern and eastern Syria, have increased.

'MILLIONS FOR ABDULLAH ÖCALAN'S FREEDOM'

Millions of Kurds have declared to the people of Turkey and the rest of the world that peace in Turkey and the region will be achievable only if Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan is free. Similarly, as demonstrated by the case of Osman Kavala, the release of several political prisoners will contribute to the building of peace.

Erdogan is currently dealing with a number of internal crises, including a deteriorating economic situation, and is attempting to protect and strengthen himself by intensifying the Turkish state's war on Kurds in order to gain nationalist support, as well as demanding a unique geopolitical position between NATO and Russia by acting as a mediator in the Ukraine crisis. If the international community continues to turn a blind eye to Erdogan's actions, it will result in more bloodshed, fresh migrations, and instability in Kurdistan and the Middle East.

‘IMMEDIATE MEASURE SHOULD BE TAKEN'

And for all of this, the Catalan Parliament's Council of Speakers declares: "We call on all governments and international organizations, including the United Nations, NATO, the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the Arab League, to take immediate action against the military operation in the Şikefta Birîndara, Kurojahro, Çiyayê Reş, and Zap regions of Southern Kurdistan, which is a violation of international law.

While we criticize the EU and its member states' political partnerships with Turkey, we demand the Spanish State to stop supplying military equipment to the Turkish State.

We condemn this attack and demand that Turkey withdraw its forces from southern Kurdistan.

We urge political parties, human rights organizations, peace organizations, trade unionists, and activists to speak out against Turkish aggression.

We defend the legitimacy of Kurdish parties that fight democratically to protect Kurdish citizens' interests, rights, and freedoms.

In accordance with the European Court of Human Rights' ruling of 10 December 2019, we reject Osman Kavala's life sentence and demand his freedom.”

This statement was approved during the parliament's presidency with the support of the ERÇ, JxCat, CUP, and NCĞi COMUNS parties.

The ERC and JxCat are in government, while the other parties are in opposition.