Öcalan Requests Meetings with Kurdish Leaders Following PKK’s Historic Shift Toward Peace
Peregraf
Imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan has formally requested meetings with several key Kurdish political figures in an effort to advance the Kurdish peace process and consolidate the PKK’s recent transition from armed struggle to democratic resistance.
The request was announced today by Ayşeğul Doğan, spokesperson for the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, during a press conference.
“Öcalan has asked to see Massoud Barzani, Nechirvan Barzani, Bafel Talabani, Qubad Talabani and Mazlum Abdi” Doğan said.
She stressed that Öcalan must be allowed to meet with political party representatives, highlighting the DEM Party’s belief in his central role in any lasting political resolution to the Kurdish issue.
This development comes just weeks after the PKK’s 12th Congress, held from May 5–7 in the Medya Defense Areas of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. On May 12, the PKK declared an official end to all activities under its name and announced its dissolution as an armed organization—marking what it called a “historic shift” in the Kurdish freedom movement.
The congress’s decision was based on a February 27 message from Öcalan, conveyed by a DEM Party delegation, in which he called for a complete transition from armed conflict to democratic and political resistance.
In the message, Öcalan urged the PKK to dissolve itself as part of a strategic path toward sustainable peace, stating that “the time has come to open a new chapter based on democratic unity and political engagement.”
The congress also confirmed the deaths of senior PKK leaders Mustafa Karasu (Kaytan) and Cemil Bayık (Altun), describing them as martyrs of the struggle. Their deaths, reportedly in recent Turkish military operations, were framed as symbolic turning points in the organization’s transformation.
Öcalan, who has been held in near-total isolation on İmralı Island since 1999, has made few public statements in recent years. His recent message and his call for high-level Kurdish unity talks are being viewed by analysts as pivotal moments in the region’s long-running conflict.
The Turkish government has yet to respond to the latest developments or Öcalan’s request, but the announcement has sparked cautious optimism among Kurdish political circles and international observers. Many see this as a critical window of opportunity to move beyond decades of violence and toward a negotiated political solution.
The coming weeks are expected to reveal whether regional leaders and Ankara are prepared to engage with Öcalan’s overture and support the PKK’s declared turn away from militancy.