Mehmet Kamac, Co-spokesperson for the Democratic Unity Initiative, stated that unity among Kurds will lead to victory and that they will work tirelessly to achieve this unity.
At the “Conference on the Importance of Kurdish National Unity” organized by the Democratic Unity Initiative in the Bazîd (Doğubeyazıt) district of Agirî (Ağrı), attention was drawn to the fact that the Kurds have taken an important step towards unity.
Veysi Aktaş, whose release was postponed for a year and 3 months and who has been in İmralı Prison for 10 years, was released.
DEM Party İmralı Delegation made a statement after their meeting with Abdullah Öcalan. It was stated that Abdullah Öcalan found the way the weapons destruction ceremony was organised and the will, belief and determination for peace displayed very valuable.
In a letter written on behalf of 88 Nobel laureates and sent to international institutions, it was stated that Abdullah Öcalan's call for peace is a beacon of hope at a time of increasing conflicts around the world, and international support was requested for his freedom.
Residents of the Mexmur (Makhmur) Refugee Camp, who have been holding a vigil for Abdullah Öcalan’s physical freedom for 736 days, called on the state to heed his call. “We want to return to our lands, not through surrender but with dignity,” they said.
Members of the Peace Mothers Assembly expressed frustration that while Kurds have taken significant steps toward peace, the state and government have not responded with equal determination, warning that “peace cannot be one-sided.”
The Democratic Unity Initiative will hold conferences in Bazîd (Doğubayazıt) and Mêrdîn (Mardin) to discuss Kurdish national unity and the ongoing peace process in Turkey, member Orhan Ayaz announced.
Zeynel Kete, Co-Chair of the Democratic Alevi Associations (DAD), described the symbolic burning of weapons during the July 11 disarmament ceremony as an act of profound transformation. “To burn is not to destroy, but to open the way for new existences,” he said, calling on Alevis to take an active role in the ongoing peace process.
Veysi Atmaca, a lawyer from the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), emphasized the necessity of a broad and inclusive parliamentary commission to address the Kurdish issue, arguing that constitutional amendments are essential for a lasting solution.
Journalist and political commentator Ali Bayramoğlu stated that legal guarantees are essential for militants who lay down arms. “Progress can only be made if the AKP and MHP open up democratic space, and that includes reaching societal consensus,” he said.
Citizens participating in the public meetings held in Aydın as part of the Peace and Democratic Society Process emphasized the need for broader societal involvement. Güler Erat stressed that the AKP, MHP, and CHP should also explain and support the process within their own communities.
In Bolu F-Type High-Security Prison, the release of 35 prisoners has been blocked by the Administrative and Observation Board on the grounds of “lack of good behavior,” according to Berivan Barin from the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD). Of the 35, 34 have been incarcerated for over 30 years.
Writer and Circassian intellectual Yalçın Karadaş has voiced support for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s July 9 call for inclusion of diverse identities in Turkey’s evolving peace process, emphasizing that the Circassian people want to be represented in the planned parliamentary peace commission.