NEWS CENTER – Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD) has called for participation in the "Hope and Freedom" rally to be held in Amed (Diyarbakır) on 4 January, stating in announcements made in many cities that "defending the 'right to hope' is defending peace."
A statement was issued regarding the “Hope and Freedom” rally to be held on 4 January at Station Square, calling for the physical freedom of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan. The statements were delivered in the cities of Wan (Van), Êlih (Batman), Riha (Urfa), Ankara, Mêrdîn (Mardin), Izmir, Istanbul, Adana, Mersin, Antalya and Şirnex (Şırnak).
In the statements read in Kurdish and Turkish, it was emphasized that the principle of the “rule of law” in Turkey has been systematically eroded, that exceptional and extraordinary practices have been made permanent, and that under such conditions, the democratic society’s construction has become an inescapable necessity that can no longer be postponed. It was stressed that in order to overcome the deepening crises in the Middle East and Turkey, a system grounded in law and human rights must be established.
Recalling the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the “right to hope,” the statement referred to the decision adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE) at its meeting held on 15–17 September 2025, which noted that Turkey has failed to implement the ruling on the right to hope for 11 years and reminded Turkey of its obligations. It was also recalled that the committee emphasized that the Parliamentary Commission established within the framework of the Peace and Democratic Society Process could be utilized. The statement noted that no discussion on this issue has been carried out in parliament or within the commission, adding: “Parliament is obliged to promptly enact legal regulations that guarantee the right to hope and place freedom at the centre of the law.”
The statement read: “The implementation of the right to hope; ensuring the physical freedom of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan; putting an end to the exclusion of Kurds and all segments of society from the law; and building a legal framework for democratic integration are the fundamental conditions for genuine and lasting peace.”
HOPE AND FREEDOM RALLY
The statement continued as follows: “With this awareness of historical responsibility, the ‘Hope and Freedom Rally’ to be held on 4 January at Amed Station Square constitutes an important public call for the implementation of the right to hope as a legal and social obligation and for strengthening the will for peace and a democratic solution. The rally aims to make visible the shared demand for the construction of a democratic society based on the principles of the rule of law, human dignity and freedom, and to strongly affirm that peace is only possible on a legal foundation where rights and freedoms are guaranteed.”