Casts a shadow over hope for peace

News Center

While the solution discussions continue, the PKK is planning to hold a disarmament ceremony in Sulayimaniyah this week. DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları , in her statements at her party's group meeting, reiterated her call to the government to take a "concrete step" before the disarmament ceremony. Hatimoğulları reacted to the operations targeting the CHP and said, "They cast a shadow on hope for peace." Hatimoğulları said, "We are going through a very important process. We are continuing our work intensively for the socialization of the peace process. On this occasion, we emphasize once again that the 'Peace and Democratic Society Commission' must be established urgently before the Parliament closes. The Parliament must make every effort to establish peace and a democratic society."

On the other hand, it was announced that a new decision was made before the ceremony to lay down arms, and that journalists' participation in the ceremony was cancelled. In a statement made by the Information Bureau of the PKK's umbrella organization, the KCK, it was stated that there would be no live broadcast of the ceremony, citing "security reasons", and that independent media representatives would not be allowed into the ceremony.

The KCK statement included the following statements: “Due to the changing security situation, details regarding the ceremony planned to take place in Sulaymaniyah had to be changed at short notice. The ceremony will take place as planned, but it will not be broadcast live and members of the press will not be able to attend. We are very sorry for this and ask for your understanding for this urgent last-minute change.”

According to information Rudaw obtained from sources close to the PKK, the media leg of the ceremony will be open only to the PKK's official media outlets and Turkish media outlets. The two official media outlets will be present at the ceremony and will act in accordance with the previous mutual agreement.

Sources reported that “KCK had no objection to the participation of journalists, and invitations were even prepared in this regard. However, the decision to cancel was taken at Türkiye’s request.”

According to information obtained from sources, it is claimed that the last-minute change was brought to the agenda after the talks between Turkish President Erdoğan and the DEM Party İmralı delegation, and that these talks were effective.

A GIANT SCREEN WILL BE INSTALLED

In the KCK statement, it was stated that a large screen will be set up near the place where the ceremony will take place and the recorded images of the ceremony will be broadcast there.

"This will be the only way we can keep you informed. You are invited to attend. Some of you may choose not to attend due to the change in methodology; we respect that decision," it said.

PROVOCATION MEASURE

The DEM Party, which was involved in the organization of the ceremony, also confirmed the developments in a written statement. The statement stated that an agreement was reached between the parties that the ceremony would be open to the press according to the previous planning, and that some arrangements had become mandatory in light of the latest updates.

On the other hand, the expected meeting between the DEM Party İmralı Delegation and Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç was postponed due to "scheduling intensity." The meeting that DEM Party İmralı Delegation members Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar were to have with Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç today was postponed. The DEM Party stated, "This program has been postponed due to schedule intensity. Information will be provided when the date and time of the re-meeting are finalized."

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DEMAND FOR EQUAL CITIZENSHIP

In the research conducted by IHD in cooperation with KONDA on the solution of the Kurdish issue, most of the participants expressed the opinion that the solution of the issue would have a positive impact on human rights and democratization.

Details of the research titled "Solution Perception in the Kurdish Issue" conducted by KONDA Research and Consultancy Inc. for the Human Rights Association (İHD) were announced. İHD Co-Chair Hüseyin Küçükbalaban and KONDA Research Board of Directors Chairman Aydın Erdem attended the press conference held at İHD headquarters. It was reported that the research was conducted by phone with 2,620 people in 77 provinces between April 24-27, 2025.

It was stated that the majority of those who answered the question of equal citizenship agreed that everyone should have equal rights.

According to the survey, 8 out of every 10 people emphasized that all citizens in Türkiye should have equal rights. In the survey, 46 out of every 100 people had a positive approach to the question "Recognition of the cultural rights of the Kurds", while 36 were against it. The remaining 18 people had neither a positive nor a negative attitude on this issue.

In response to the question "How can society be convinced of the solution of the Kurdish issue?", 21 out of every 100 people said that they could be convinced of the solution of the Kurdish Issue by ensuring freedom of thought and expression. 10 percent said that the parties should confront the past, 7 percent said that civil society should be included in the process, and 4 percent said that society could be convinced by the press being able to publish freely.