The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will discuss Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Ocalan's "right to hope" at its meeting on 15-17 September. Trade unions and organisations from Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia and other regions of Spain sent a letter to Ian Borg, President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, before the meeting. 

 

The letter criticised the non-implementation of the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) judgements on the "right to hope" in Turkey. In the letter, which reminded the "violation" decision of the ECHR on Abdullah Ocalan in March 2014, it was emphasised that aggravated life sentences without the possibility of parole are a violation of Arcile 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. 

 

In the letter, it was pointed out that the Committee of Ministers gave Turkey a one-year deadline of September 2024 and Turkey's latest action plan was mentioned. It was pointed out that Turkey exempted aggravated life prisoners, including Abdullah Ocalan, from the "right to hope". The letter stressed tat this decision was contrary to the ECHR judgements. 

 

APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

 

The signatories emphasised that Turkey must fulfil its obligations. The signatories also called on the Committee of Ministers to "take immediate action" in line with the decision taken at its 2024 September meeting. 

 

The letter emphasised that the realisation of the "right to hope" is critical for the peace and democratisation process in Turkey. On 27 February 2025, Abdullah Ocalan's call for the dissolution and disarmament of the PKK was referred to, and it was noted that this step was important for both the democratisation of Turkey and the political solution of the Kurdish issue. 

 

SIGNATURES:

 

* OSTA–Aragón (Aragon Trade Union Organisation)

 

* LAB–País Vasco (Langile Abertzaleen Batzordeak) (Patriotic Workers' Committees of the Basque Country)

 

* Intersindical Solidària–Valencia (Valencia Confederation of Solidarity Trade Unions)

 

* ELA–País Vasco (Eusko Langileen Alkartasuna) (Basque Workers Solidarity)

 

* CUT–Aragón (Colectivo Unitario de Trabajadores) (Aragon United Workers Collective)

 

* IAC–Catalunya (Intersindical Alternativa de Catalunya) (Alternative Trade Union Confederation of Catalonia)

 

* CSI–Asturias (Corriente Sindical de Izquierda) (Asturias Left Trade Union Movement)

 

* CIG–Galicia (Confederación Intersindical Galega) (Galician Trade Union Confederation)

 

* ESK–País Vasco (Euskal Sindikatua Konfederazioa) (Basque Country Trade Union Confederation)

 

* CGT Burgos (Confederación General del Trabajo) (General Confederation of Labour, Burgos Branch)

 

* Colombia Humana – Madrid (Humane Colombia - Madrid)

 

* RAM–Madrid (Red de Apoyo Mutuo) (Mutual Assistance Network - Madrid)

 

* Confederación Intersindical (Confederation of Trade Unions)