Author: Admin

Newsletter February 2026

Admin

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please find below our current newsletter.

Kind regards

Kariane Westrheim
Chairperson

Final statement of our EP roundtable debate 

The EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) held a round table debate on 25 February 2026 in the European Parliament in Brussels, hosted by MEP Evin Incir, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.

http://eutcc.net/?p=2162

Mr. Öcalan’s message on the first anniversary of the Peace and Democratic Society Call

“Now we must move to the positive phase of construction. Democratic society, democratic consensus, and integration are the building blocks of this era.”

https://www.demparti.org.tr/en/mr-ocalans-message-on-the-first-anniversary-of-the-peace-and-democratic-society-call/22569

Press statement: Independent Legal Mission on the Peace Process in Turkey 

The Mission was formed under the auspices of the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH) and Association for Democracy and International Law (MAF-DAD). In addition, the Mission was also constituted with the institutional participation of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), the Union of Italian Penal Chambers (UCPI) and Esculca.

https://eldh.eu/2026/02/independent-legal-mission-on-the-peace-process-in-tuerkiye

EP press release on the resolution on the situation in north-east Syria

Parliament strongly condemns all violence against civilians in north-east Syria and calls on all parties to abide by the ceasefire.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20260205IPR33627/violence-in-north-east-syria-may-amount-to-war-crimes-warn-meps–

—
EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission
Instagram: @eutcc1

Uncategorised

Final Statement EP Roundtable Debate

Admin

Final statement of the panel debate ‘Turkey and the Kurds in dialogue: peace, reconciliation and democracy’

The EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) held a round table debate on 25 February 2026 in the European Parliament in Brussels, hosted by MEP Evin Incir, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.
This round table debate, entitled ‘Turkey and the Kurds in dialogue: peace, reconciliation and democracy’, came at a historic time of important steps towards a political solution of the Kurdish question in Turkey following Mr Abdullah Öcalan’s call for peace and a democratic society on 27 February 2025. Developments in Syria, the attacks by troops of the Syrian transitional government on Rojava in particular, are also very critical in this context.
A peaceful and democratic regional process is only possible with broad support.

Therefore, we demand

  • The immediate introduction of legal and political measures for the progress of the process
  • Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan so that he can adequately fulfil his leading role in the process

We call on the European Union and its institutions as well as the Council of Europe

  • To exert pressure on the Syrian transitional government in the interests of a pluralistic Syria, so tha Rojava’s status is secured and the siege of Kobane is ended immediately
  • 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 thus the democratisation of Turkey and the Middle East
  • Remove the Kurdistan Workers’ Party from the terror list to send positive signals in favour of the dialogue process

…
EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission
Instagram: @eutcc1

“TURKEY AND THE KURDS IN DIALOGUE: PEACE, RECONCILIATION AND DEMOCRACY”

Brussels, European Parliament

Wednesday, 25th February 2026, 17.00-19:00

PANEL – Room SPINELLI 3H1

Moderator: Ms.  Amberin Zaman, journalist, UK

Interpretation in English, German and Italian

  • Ms. Evin Incir, MEP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Sweden
  • Ms. Dersim Dağdeviren, EUTCC board member, Kurd-Akad, Germany
  • Mr. Andreas Schieder, MEP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Austria
  • Mr. Mithat Sancar, MP, Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, Turkey
  • Mr. Leoluca Orlando, MEP, The Greens/EFA, Italy tbc
  • Mr. Per Clausen, MEP, The Left, Denmark
  • Mr. Thijs Reuten, MEP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Netherlands tbc
  • Dr. Ayhan Işık, Université libre de Bruxelles and Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands

PR:Kurds in Aleppo under heavy attack by Syrian government

Admin

Kurds in Aleppo under heavy attack by Syrian government – dozens of civilians killed and risk of an even greater massacre

Armed groups affiliated with the Syrian transitional government are attacking Kurdish-dominated neighbourhoods in Aleppo. Dozens of civilian casualties have already been reported. 

These attacks are exacerbating the fragile situation in Syria. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria demonstrates that peaceful and democratic coexistence between peoples is possible. However, under the influence of Turkey, the Syrian transitional government favours an anti-Kurdish and anti-democratic stance. The recent meeting between the Turkish Foreign Minister and the Foreign Minister of the Syrian transitional government in Paris, as well as numerous visits by Turkish officials, including the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT), and their aggressive statements, are no coincidence. 

The regional implications of these developments in Syria are significant. In his New Year’s message regarding Syria, Abdullah Öcalan rightly pointed out that it is crucial for Turkey to play a mediating and constructive role in this process. The dialogue process in Turkey, and in particular the transformation into a sustainable peace process, must not be jeopardised. 

In the context of global developments, there is also an urgent need for action here. The opportunity to bring peace and democracy to one of the world’s key regions of war and crisis must not be wasted. The international community must use all political options at its disposal to exert pressure on the Syrian transitional government and Turkey. In the context of Turkey in particular, the European Union must also use all mechanisms to ensure that Turkey ends its intervention in Syria and promotes the dialogue process in Turkey. 

The EUTCC condemns the attacks by armed groups of the Syrian transitional government on Kurdish-dominated neighbourhoods and calls on the international community to take immediate action. Turkey is called upon to abandon its anti-Kurdish stance in the context of Syria and to make more significant contribution to the dialogue process in its own country. 

—
EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission
Instagram: @eutcc1

Newsletter Dec 2025

Admin

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please find below our current newsletter. 

Kind regards 

Prof. Kariane Westrheim 

Chairperson 

Our Review of 2025 – Outlook for 2026

Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom is essential for the transformation of the dialogue process into a sustainable process for peace and a democratic society. Adequate pressure on Turkey to create the legal and political framework conditions and intensive support for the process on the part of the European Union are also essential. In this context, removing the PKK from the list of terrorist organisations is a necessary step that should be implemented promptly. 

As EUTCC, we will continue to monitor developments concerning the European Union, Turkey, and the Kurds critically and constructively in the future.  

http://eutcc.net/?p=2131

Statement by Nacho Sanchez Amor, the European Parliament’s standing rapporteur on Turkey, after his visit between 3 and 7 December 2025

It is sad to see Turkish authorities’ unwillingness to take well-known steps to address the situation of rule of law and judiciary independence in the country. Due to multiple reasons, the EU’s enlargement policy has regained new momentum, but Türkiye is missing this window of opportunity. The Turkish accession process will not revive by the opening of chapters but by the respect to ECtHR and CC rulings.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20251206IPR32033/parliament-s-standing-rapporteur-meets-political-prisoners-in-turkiye

Final declaration of DEM Party’s International Peace and Democracy Conference held in Istanbul on 6–7 December

We regard this declaration as a historic step taken on the path to lasting peace and call on all parties to fulfil their responsibilities. We are determined to follow the progress of the process and to maintain our hope for a transition to a democratic and inclusive society.

https://www.demparti.org.tr/en/final-declaration-of-international-peace-and-democratic-society-conference/22402

—
EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission
Instagram: @eutcc1

Happy New Year 2026

Admin

The EUTCC wishes everyone a happy New Year. 

Major challenges require decisive action to ensure that peace and democracy become a living reality.

The EUTCC remains committed to this in the future. 

—
EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission
Instagram: @eutcc1