Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan sent a message to the first-ever Gurbetelli Ersöz Women Journalism Awards ceremony organised this year.

 

Message of Öcalan reads:

 

"I greet you all...

 

I salute this meaningful ceremony being held today in the name of Gurbetelli Ersöz. I had the chance to know Gurbetelli; spending time with her, listening to her thoughts, and witnessing her determination in the struggle left an indelible mark on my life. I always wished I could have spent more time with her — that is what I regret most about her.

 

I have not forgotten the moment I said farewell to her. Just as my farewell to Kemal Pir remains vivid in my mind, my farewell to Gurbetelli also lives in my heart and memory. That is why Gurbetelli’s memory is a guiding legacy for all of us. Her determination, resolve, and struggle for a free life place a responsibility on everyone. Keeping Gurbetelli’s memory alive, passing on her ideas and struggle to future generations, is our collective duty.

 

Once again today, I remember her with respect, longing, and gratitude. Her light continues to illuminate the path of the free press.

 

Abdullah Öcalan

 

Imrali Island."