NEWS CENTER - Jakob Migenda, a member of Germany's Left Party who applied to visit Imrali, emphasized that Abdullah Öcalan's liberation is a sign of the collapse of oppression and the liberation of peoples.
Thirty-nine individuals from various European countries, including journalists, writers, academics, trade unionists, parliamentarians, and lawyers, arrived in Istanbul on July 1 as part of the “I Want to Visit Öcalan” campaign and submitted a request to the Ministry of Justice for a meeting.
Jakob Migenda, Hessen State Manager of Germany's Die Linke (Left Party), who was among the names in the delegation, stated that it is very important to “show solidarity with the struggle for freedom and peace,” especially from a country like Germany that provides arms and diplomatic support to the Turkish government.
Migenda said that people from many countries came to show solidarity and shared their experiences in their own countries, adding, "For example, we talked about arms exports from Germany; we said that about 19 percent of arms sales or imports to Turkey come from Germany. Therefore, it is possible to say that it would be very difficult for Erdoğan to continue his wars without the weapons coming from Germany and the diplomatic support provided by Germany. We also mentioned the PKK ban in Germany; this ban is a measure aimed at criminalizing almost all activities of the Kurdish movement in Germany, and we cited this as one of the two main issues in our struggle to show solidarity."
Noting that Abdullah Öcalan's February 27 call is an opportunity, Migenda said: "Peace would be a very good sign not only for the region but also for the Turkish state that the conflicts can be ended and democratization is possible. I hope the Turkish government will be willing."
'WE HAVE THE POWER TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOM'
Reminding that campaigns are being carried out in Germany for Abdullah Öcalan, Migenda said: "In Darmstadt, where I live, many different people are participating in our campaigns. It is good that we have a common struggle, and it is also important to have symbols in the struggle. Öcalan's freedom is one of these symbols. This symbol means, ‘Yes, we have the power to fight for our freedom.’ This struggle is not only for the freedom of a certain group, but also a sign that it is possible to destroy oppression and liberate other peoples as well."