NEWS CENTER – Lawyer Abdulkadir Güleç stated that the PKK's recent decision should lead to a democratic discussion of the Kurdish issue, highlighting the need for legal reforms. “This could pave the way for the right to hope to be brought onto the agenda,” he said.
Following the PKK's declaration of ending armed struggle during its congress held from May 5 to 7, which was after Abdullah Öcalan’s February 27 “Call for Peace and Democratic Society” and the March 1 ceasefire, Amed (Diyarbakır) Bar Association Chair Abdulkadir Güleç emphasized the decision’s potential to contribute to peace and a democratic resolution of the Kurdish question.
‘POLITICS HAS BEEN EMPOWERED’
Stating that the decision should be seen as a beginning Güleç said, “From now on, political efforts can proceed on a more democratic footing. The organization’s declaration of self-dissolution must be matched by legal steps to end armed struggle. I assume preparations are underway for this. Politics, civil society, journalists, writers, and lawyers all now have a stronger hand. Previously, even the smallest democratic demand was criminalized. Now is the time to discuss the Kurdish issue and all social matters in a freer, more democratic space.”
THE ‘RIGHT TO HOPE’
Güleç underlined the government’s responsibility to establish a legal and democratic framework, he said: “There must be legal reforms to address those laying down arms. How can they reintegrate into society, what constitutional and legal mechanisms will allow this? This includes issues like the penal execution law, the right to hopei the condition of ill prisoners, and conditional release procedures. These must all be debated. If the process moves forward like this, permanent peace is possible; otherwise, it may be prolonged.”
Regarding the “right to hope,” Güleç said: “This decision opens the door to discussing it. A declaration alone does not resolve the issue. The conditions of Mr. Öcalan must change so that he can express his ideas and expectations for this process. This might be just a beginning, a preparatory stage.”
PARLIAMENT IS THE PLACE FOR A SOLUTION
Stated that Parliament is the venue for resolving the issue, Güleç stressed: “If laws are to be changed, and they must, the place to do that is Ankara. All political parties should treat this as a national interest, not a partisan matter. A door has been opened to solving a century-old issue. The goal must be to enable Kurds, Turks, and all 85 million citizens of Turkey tol ive freely and equally. Everyone must approach the process from this perspective.”
CALL FOR RESPONSIBILITY
Calling on intellectuals, journalists, lawyers, writers, civil society leaders, and academics to take responsibility Güleç continued: “This process can contribute to democratization, the rule of law, and judicial independence in Turkey. Society must be attentive. This is beyond party politics. We stand at the threshold of solving a century-old issue. Everyone must act responsibly.”
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