Will Turkey announce general amnesty amid negotiations…

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – As Turkey is set to begin a new peace process between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the state, there is hope that a general amnesty will be granted to the thousands of people imprisoned because of their alleged links with Kurdistan. armed group.

The peace initiative came from a surprising group: the leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahceli, whose party is an ally of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). ) of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and who had previously opposed talks with the PKK. . Late last year, he said that imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan should benefit from the “right to hope” law, which states that a prisoner must have hope of possibly be released.

Turkish politician Ufuk Uras said this could mean a general amnesty.

“According to my prediction, the so-called 'right to hope' is not reserved for just one person. This means that it is not limited to Abdullah Öcalan and is a general right. I think it is possible that within this framework, a legal correction such as an amnesty can be made,” he told Rudaw on Friday.

There is precedence for this, he argued, “because in the history of the Republic, the 10th and 50th years have been considered periods symbolizing amnesty. Therefore, as part of this process, such a political amnesty and a fresh start could be considered.”

The pro-Kurdish Party for People's Equality and Democracy (DEM) is preparing the ground for peace talks. Last week, two lawmakers, Pervin Buldan and Sirri Sureyya Onder, were granted rare access to Imrali prison to meet with Öcalan.

Through them, Öcalan sent a message highlighting Kurdish-Turkish “brotherhood” and said he was able to make an appeal regarding the future of the PKK and a possible peace process.

On Thursday, Buldan and Onder were joined by Ahmet Turk, a veteran Kurdish politician, and the three launched a series of meetings with Turkish political authorities. They first met Numan Kurtulmus, speaker of parliament, then Bahceli, from the MHP.

A member of the ruling AKP said it was not the right time for an amnesty.

“It is too early to discuss a general amnesty in Turkey. We need to see how the peace measures and dialogue will unfold, but Turkey, as a state and president, with a US-like approach statesman, will take all paths towards harmony and resolution of problems,” he added. » Faruk Kilic told Rudaw on Friday.

“What is important here is what Öcalan says. In my opinion, Öcalan already wanted to stop this bloodshed, and his position was the same during the other resolution process, but they did not listen to him. However, in the current situation, I say that the Kurdish people will not leave Öcalan's messages on the ground and that this will help stop this bloodshed,” he said.

“All parties support resolving issues through peaceful means, and no party wants conflicts, wars and complications to continue,” he added.

Ankara “considers it its responsibility to resolve the Kurdish question, and everyone agrees that within the framework of the Turkish state, everyone's rights must be protected and respected,” Kilic said , emphasizing that Erdogan “strives to strengthen Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood and works to resolve problems with a statesmanlike approach.”

Founded in 1978, the PKK initially demanded the creation of an independent Kurdistan but now demands autonomy. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey.

The DEM party's predecessor, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), played a key role in peace negotiations a decade ago. The short-lived ceasefire failed in 2015 and was followed by intense urban fighting in Kurdish areas of southwest Turkey.

Öcalan has been held in the island's prison since 1999. He is in good health and his morale is good, according to deputies who visited him.

In his message sent through the visiting MPs, Öcalan called on all political fronts in Turkey to contribute to the peace process by “making positive contributions” and said parliament could be an important platform for change.

Bahceli proposed that Öcalan be invited to address Parliament and announce the dissolution of the PKK.

By designating Parliament as the key interlocutor, Öcalan is seeking a “legal basis for resolving problems,” according to Ziryan Rojhelati, director of the Rudaw Research Center.

He believes that the Kurdish region of northeast Syria (Rojava) could also play a key role in the peace talks.

“In 2015, the resolution process in Türkiye was suspended due to developments in Western Kurdistan. [Rojava]and now, similarly, due to the situation in Syria and Western Kurdistan, a new phase of dialogue and peace efforts has emerged in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan,” he said.

In 2015, protesters called on Turkey to open its borders to Kurds fighting the Islamic State (IS) in the northeastern Syrian border town of Kobani. Nationwide protests turned violent and a subsequent trial landed many Kurdish politicians accused of inciting violence in prison, including Ahmet Turk, who was sentenced to ten years in prison in May for his involvement. alleged in the demonstrations. This caused him to lose his post as mayor of Mardin in November.

The AKP's Kilic acknowledged that what happens in Syria will have an impact on Turkey. A coalition of rebel groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) last month toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime and installed a transitional government. The Kurdish administration in Rojava is now in talks with the new authorities in Damascus.

“We cannot separate the Kurdish issues of Iraq, Syria and Turkey. When we talk about one, we talk about all,” Kilic said.

Ankara considers the Kurdish forces in Rojava to be a Syrian branch of the PKK and frequently engages them militarily.

Kilic said Erdogan and Bahceli's statements indicate they want Syrian Kurds to coordinate with the new government in Damascus. “Everyone should get certain rights in their own country. These issues must be addressed with fraternity,” he said.