Led by prisoners' relatives and the Amed Association for Assistance to Families of Prisoners and Prisoners (TUHAY-DER), the “Speak up for freedom” protest, organized every two weeks to demand the physical freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, was held in front of AZC Plaza in Ofis district. In addition to many prisoners' relatives, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Amed (Diyarbakır) provincial and district organizations, MED Prisoners' Families Legal and Solidarity Associations Federation (MED TUHAD FED) and representatives of civil society organizations in the city participated in the protest. 

 

Wearing aprons with the slogan “Speak up for freedom”, the protesters chanted “Bijî berxwedana zindana (Long live resistance of dungeons)”, “Girtiye politik rumetame ne (Political prisoners are our honor)” and “Right, law, justice”.  

 

Nazime Boltan, a relative of prisoners, reminded that they have been protesting for months and said: “This state knows why our children are in prison. Fulfill the demands of our children. Our children want Abdullah Öcalan to be free. Just as we meet with our children, Abdullah Öcalan should also be met with. We don't want our children to carry out other actions.”

 

'IF THE ISOLATION ON ABDULALH ÖCALAN IS LIFTED...'

 

Rabia Ataş, another prisoner's relative, reminded that prisoners in Kurdistan and Turkey prisons have been protesting against the lack of communication with Abdullah Öcalan, and said: “If the isolation on Abdullah Öcalan is lifted, it will also be lifted on our children. I went to the prison last week. When our children came to visit, they were strip searched. My daughter is kept in a solitary cell. We do not accept this persecution.”

 

Nuray Abay, who said that she had not seen her imprisoned grandson for years, stated that this was persecution and demanded that the isolation on Abdullah Öcalan be lifted. 

The protest ended after the sit-in with slogans.