ISTANBUL - Rebecca Søndergaard, a member of the Danish Young Red-Greens Central Board, who reads PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s books and closely follows his ideas, stated that they will fight to ensure the physical freedom of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and said, ‘’He is a very huge part of our understanding of how to build democratic confederalism’’.

 

The aggravated isolation against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is being held in Imralı F Type High-Security Closed Prison, continues. There has been no news for seven months from Abdullah Öcalan, who has not been allowed to meet with family and lawyers for a long time. After Mehmet Öcalan’s phone call with Abdullah Öcalan on March 25, the applications made by lawyers were not responded positively or negatively. It was revealed that the PKK leader was given disciplinary punishments on September 23, 2020 and in January. Lastly, it was learned that Abdullah Öcalan’s family visits were blocked for three months on the grounds that he was ‘’pacing up and down’’. While public concerns about Abdullah Öcalan’s life are increasing day by day, the isolation imposed in Imralı is reflected in all prisons.

 

He is closely followed across the world

 

Despite the desire to cut Abdullah Öcalan’s ties with society, many people around the world read the books compiled from his defenses and closely follow his perspectives. Rebecca Søndergaard, a member of the Danish Young Red-Greens Central Board, who was among the delegation that recently visited the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), is one of those who closely follow Abdullah Öcalan’s ideas. Speaking to our agency, Rebecca evaluated the purpose of their HDP visits and the isolation against Abdullah Öcalan.

 

‘We will enlarge solidarity for the Kurdish people in Denmark’

 

Rebecca said that they came together with the HDP Youth Council to carry out a work on a common ground. ‘’During our time with the HDP Youth Council, we learned how to structure ourselves and the struggle we are in. We came to find common ground. We have a lot to learn from each other. Today we try to get to know each other more. We are trying to learn how to conduct an organized struggle in our own countries. We had discussions about racism, youth and organized youth. Of course, the time is very limited, but with the struggle I learned from here, we will be in solidarity with the Kurds as the Green Youth. We will enlarge solidarity for the Kurdish people in Denmark,’’ she said.

 

‘We take inspiration from Abdullah Öcalan’

 

Rebecca stated that they also met with the HDP Women’s Council as part of their visit, and noted that the meeting was productive. She said that they were impressed from the Rojava Revolution and that they organized such an organization to get to know the Kurdish people better. Stating that they take inspiration from PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, Rebecca continued, ‘’We are trying to put his strength and mentality into the work we carry out. It is a good feeling to see people who have this idea and practice it here. By coming here, you see the struggle not only on paper, but also in real life’’.

Rebecca emphasized that they were impressed from the power of women from HDP and said, ‘’Despite they have suffered oppression a lot, their struggle is very inspiring. We will also tell the Danish women about their struggle. I was very impressed from them’’.

 

‘I believe Abdullah Öcalan will be released’

 

Rebecca also drew attention to the aggravated isolation against Abdullah Öcalan and underlined that the PKK leader should be physically free and his ideas should be heard and adopted worldwide. Rebecca emphasized that Abdullah Öcalan’s physical freedom should have been realized until today and continued as follows, ‘’I believe that one day he will be released. That’s what we are fighting for too. We are creating pressure on our government for his release. Most of the leftist groups in our country know Abdullah Öcalan. We took a lot of inspiration. And we read all his books, we discuss and love him. He is actually a huge part of our understanding of how to build democratic confederalism. We want that to happen.’’