The İmralı Delegation of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party visited Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan on İmralı Island on Sunday. The delegation consisted of members of parliament Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, as well as lawyer Faik Özgür Erol.

 

The DEM Party İmralı Delegation made the following statement regarding yesterday’s meeting with Abdullah Öcalan:

 

"On May 24, 2026, as the İmralı delegation, we held a meeting with Mr. Abdullah Öcalan and his fellow prisoners. Mr. Öcalan’s assessments during the meeting can be summarized as follows:

 

'It is not possible to transform societies burdened with great anger without great ideas and great ethical values. Society is experiencing severe stagnation at every level of life in ethical, political, legal, and economic terms. That is why we insist on and urgently pursue this process.

 

I believe the Middle Eastern conjuncture is still pregnant with every possibility. States such as Iran and Israel are hardening and seem likely to harden even further. Promoting nationalism and division in the Middle East and enlarging micro-nationalisms will cause harm. We are conducting a process aimed at observing and preventing risky developments in the region and overcoming bloody confrontations.

 

And of course, it is important that everything being done gains a legal foundation. Remaining in a state of expectation and prolonging that expectation only produces risks. We have no time to lose. I believe that all actors will act with a sense of this historic responsibility and that the Grand National Assembly of Turkey will also conduct its work with this sensitivity.

 

A framework law can constitute the stem cell of the democratization process.

 

A legal regulation will lead us into a genuine process of positive reconstruction, a process in which the wheel of democracy turns. Democratization is a vital necessity, and the success of the process will bring us closer to this goal.

 

Can breaking down the door of a political party headquarters with a sledgehammer be something acceptable in a democracy? The practices directed against the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the developments taking place are related to the absence of a properly functioning democracy and democratic politics. This is the reason matters have reached this point: the lack of the principle of democracy at the foundation of the republic. Treating democracy as if it were a luxury, demagoguery, or mere empty talk and therefore not taking it seriously is a grave mistake with severe consequences. There is no issue more urgent than strengthening the democratic character of the republic.

 

In this country, we are trying to develop the groundwork and expand the possibilities for this. While moving toward legal steps for a solution on İmralı, we attach great importance to preparing the republic for a democratic opening and democratic law. We also see this as a step toward remedying the lack of democracy both within parties and between parties. The outcome of all efforts will be to provide the republic with democratic substance and culture and to establish a solid legal system that guarantees them. On this basis, I call on everyone to contribute to the Peace and Democratic Society process.

 

This is the meaning of the integration of Kurds into the democratic republic. We are trying to overcome a situation that the Kurdish issue has deadlocked for years. The element of violence stemming from the Kurdish issue is being overcome through a system of resolution. We may also call this process one of reorganizing, contemporizing, and modernizing Turkish-Kurdish relations.

 

The messages of international intellectuals and academics supporting the Peace and Democratic Society process have been compiled into a book. In this context, I would like to emphasize that I am ready to evaluate every kind of proposal, criticism, and contribution with the utmost care. At a time when we need peace and democracy the most, I salute them all for their highly important support.”