Sabri Ok: Öcalan’s freedom represents the ‘most significant step for the democratisation of Turkey’

Sabri Ok: Öcalan’s freedom represents the ‘most significant step for the democratisation of Turkey’

  • Date: April 12, 2021
  • Categories:Rights
Η απελευθέρωση του Οτσαλάν θα αποτελέσει το σημαντικότερο βήμα για τον εκδημοκρατισμό της Τουρκίας

Sabri Ok: Öcalan’s freedom represents the ‘most significant step for the democratisation of Turkey’

Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council member Sabri Ok spoke to Stêrk TV about recent developments in Turkey, including the phone call with jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, the detention of retired admirals and the closure case against the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

Concerning the very short phone call that Abdullah Öcalan made with his brother on 25 March, Ok said: “This became possible as a result of public pressure. The things he said on the phone are very meaningful. The messages he gave are very important. We should understand that very well. We cannot know if the occupying fascist state can take any meaning out of these messages. It is their problem”.

Ok added: “These are all special war practices. Our movement, our people, our friends must be aware of this reality”. Describing the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan as the “most significant step for the democratisation of Turkey”, the KCK Executive said: “At the same time, we need to know that Kurdish people cannot live in dignity and the democratization of Turkey is not possible unless leader Apo is free”.

‘The AKP has played all its cards to eliminate our movement’

Concerning the recent declaration that was published by retired admirals in Turkey, which ended up in a wave of raids and the detention of the admirals, Ok was of the view that “the inner conflicts within the state are exposed now”.

He added: “The AKP has played all its cards to eliminate our movement and to break the will of the Kurdish people. They conducted domestic and international politics within this context. When they could not achieve this result, they began to pay the price themselves. Everybody is discussing matters. Everybody is in some type of conflict with the current fascist regime”.

‘Millions support the HDP’

Speaking about the attempts to permanently close down the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Ok stated: “The Turkish state attacks the HDP because the HDP does not bow down to it. Millions support the HDP. The movement of not just six million, but tens of millions will open a way for itself. For this, they must first resist. We salute them for the resistance they have carried out until today. It is certain that they will continue their resistance”.

On the injustice facing the Şenyaşar family

“If there was a conscience, if there was a law, if there was justice, would it be possible to accept such an injustice? A mother sits there with her son 24 hours a day”, Ok said, commenting on Emine and Ferit Şenyaşar’s struggle for justice protest, which has continued for 32 days in the Urfa (Riha) province of Turkey, despite the increasing pressure exerted on them and police attacks.