The Annual International Conference on the EU, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds was hosted by the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) in cooperation with the Left Group, the Greens-European Free Alliance (GREENS/EFA) and the Groups of the Free Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) was successfully held on 26th and 27th of March 2025 in the European Parliament in Brussels.
Swedish journalist Joakim Medin has been arrested in Turkey after travelling to Istanbul to report on protests
He is facing charges of insulting the president and membership in a terrorist organisation. Turkish authorities have linked his case to a protest held in Stockholm in January 2023, during which a mock-up of Turkish President Erdoğan was displayed.
Newroz was celebrated in Diyarbakır with nearly a million people in attendance
Meanwhile, CHP Leader Özgür Özel, PUK Leader Bafel Talabani, KDP Leader Masoud Barzani, and Kurdistan Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani also sent messages for Newroz.
Report on the targeting of civilians in NES by Turkey and the SNA
The information RIC has gathered presents a clear picture of intentional targeting of civilians and civil life by Turkey and the SNA, in North-East Syria in the period after the fall of Assad.
The Annual International Conference on the EU, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds was hosted by the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) in cooperation with the Left Group, the Greens-European Free Alliance (GREENS/EFA) and the Groups of the Free Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D). The conference was successfully held on 26th and 27th of March 2025 in the European Parliament in Brussels.
At a time when wars and political uncertainty are increasing in the world and the Middle East is being reshaped, important steps are being taken towards a political solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey. Kurdish political leader Abdullah Öcalan’s historic call, on 27 February 2025, for peace and a democratic society offers a unique moment to untie the Gordian knot not only for Turkey but for the entire region. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party responded promptly with a unilateral ceasefire. The task now is to create the appropriate legal and political foundations to bring this process to a sustainable peace. The involvement of Öcalan in the peace process is crucial for its success. After more than 25 years in prison, his release would not only uphold his fundamental rights but also signal a commitment to addressing the needs and rights of the Kurdish community.
Therefore, we demand:
An end to Turkey’s attacks on Northern Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq as violation of international law
An end to the appointment of trustees by the Turkish Ministry of the Interior
The immediate introduction of political and legal measures to progress the initiated process
Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan – indispensable for him to be able to fulfil his role in this process adequately
A peaceful and democratic regional process, which will have far-reaching global implications, is only possible with broad support. We therefore call on the European Union and its institutions as well as the Council of Europe, to:
Recognise the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria as an indispensable democratic determinant of a united plural Syria and to strengthen it accordingly
Enforce the immediate implementation of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Abdullah Öcalan
Use all mechanisms to strengthen the process for a political solution to the Kurdish question and democratisation of Turkey and the Middle East
Remove the Kurdistan Workers’ Party from the terror list to send positive signals in favour of the ongoing process
EU Turkey Civic Commission www.eutcc.net Twitter: @EUTCC1 Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission Instagram: @eutcc1
The EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) will hold its 19th International Conference on EU Turkey and the Kurds on 26-27 March 2025 in the European Parliament. The theme of the conference is:
THE EUROPEAN UNION, TURKEY, THE MIDDlE EAST AND THE KURDS
This year’s conference comes at a time of increasing wars and political uncertainty in the world. In addition, the conference has a special significance in these historic times when the Middle East is being reconstructed and important steps towards a political solution of the Kurdish question in Turkey are being taken and discussed. In such a critical process, it will be very important to discuss what the wider public, especially the EU, should or can do for peace and democracy. A peaceful and democratic regional process is only possible with broad support. That is why your participation in our conference and your expertise will be particularly important.
We are writing this letter to invite you to participate in the annual International Conference on the EU, Turkey and the Kurds hosted by the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) in cooperation with the The Left, the Greens-European Free Alliance and the Groups of the Free Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.
For 19 years, the EUTCC has organised annual international conferences in the European Parliament, focusing on the Kurdish question and democratic processes in Turkey. With invited civil society organisations, academics, European, Turkish and Kurdish politicians, policy-makers and activists these conferences have received international attention, politically and in the media. We are proud that internationally recognised individuals like Noam Chomsky, Leyla Zana, Shirin Ebadi, and Bianca Jagger support the work of the EUTCC.
The final resolution of each conference has urged the European Union (EU), the United States (US), the international community and all democratic forces to use their political influence to encourage Turkey to find a peaceful, political solution to the Kurdish question.
Hereby, we are kindly asking you to participate in our conference as your participation will contribute to the quality of the discussions through which you have the opportunity to raise your short comments and questions to the speakers.
As an official «European Parliament personal badge/pass» will be provided to all participants to the Conference, all participants MUST send us the following details:
1) Family name 2) First name 3) Date of birth 4) Nationality 5) Type of ID card 6) Number of ID card
This information must be sent before 19 March 2025.
Please note that NO ACCREDITATION will be accepted after this deadline, according to the rules established by the Security Department of the European Parliament.
Your «personal badge/pass» will be available at the main entrance of the European Parliament (Place de Luxembourg—main European Parliament’s building «Altiero Spinelli»—just after the sliding doors you’ll find a conference desk), during AND ONLY the following date/hours: 26 March 15.30-16.30 and 27 March 08.00-08.30.
Please note that all participants must take a good care of their own «EP badge/pass» during both days. If someone loses the «pass/badge» it will be impossible to replace it, according to the EP’s internal rules.
For any additional information, please contact the conference’s secretariat: brusselsconferenceep@gmail.com
We are looking forward to your positive response.
10.02.2025 Sincerely yours,
Prof. Kariane Westrheim EUTCC Chairperson
— EU Turkey Civic Commission www.eutcc.net Twitter: @EUTCC1 Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission Instagram: @eutcc1
Our PR: Mr Öcalan’s statement: A Momentum for Peace and Democracy
This momentum must be adequately recognised. The European Union and its institutions, in particular the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, should now make every effort to strengthen the process. This includes engagement to ensure that Abdullah Öcalan can freely practice his leadership role in the ongoing political process.
Mr Öcalan’s Call for Peace and a Democratic Society
Just as every contemporary organisation and party whose existence has not been forcibly ended would voluntarily do, gather your congress and take the decision to integrate with the state and society: all groups must lay down their arms, and the PKK must dissolve itself.
Human Rights Watch: Use Call to Halt Violence as Catalyst to End Right Abuses
The landmark call on February 27, 2025, to end a decades-long armed insurgency against the Turkish state should be a catalyst to end its abusive use of terrorism charges to criminalize and silence government critics including politicians, journalists, lawyers, and activists.
Statement by Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Co-Rapporteurs David Eray and Bryony Rudkin on the dismissal of Abdullah Zeydan, Mayor of Van and member of the Turkish delegation to the Congress
We reiterate our call to the Turkish authorities to stop this practice and resume the political dialogue with the Congress rapporteurs to ensure the effective implementation of past recommendations.
Today, a seven-member delegation visited Kurdish Political Leader Abdullah Öcalan on the prison island of İmralı. Abdullah Öcalan’s long-awaited message was read out at a press conference in Istanbul.
This declaration is historic and should be supported accordingly. The future not only of Turkey but of the entire region is at stake. Democratisation of the country and peace in the Middle East are urgently needed. Mr Öcalan has set the course for this. His call to create the appropriate legal and political foundations for the laying down of arms and the dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party is a moment of resolution of the Gordian knot that has tied the Turkish Republic in its first 100 years.
This momentum must be adequately recognised. The European Union and its institutions, in particular the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, should now make every effort to strengthen the process. This includes engagement to ensure that Abdullah Öcalan can freely practice his leadership role in the ongoing political process.
We welcome Mr Öcalan’s historic statement and ensure our full support.
