PKK denounces 'errors and shortcomings' in Turkey's draft law on its fighters

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has voiced strong criticism of a Turkish draft law intended to address the future of its fighters, deeming it to contain "grave errors and shortcomings." The PKK stated that the proposed legislation fails to incorporate recommendations from a parliamentary committee focused on democratizing and resolving the Kurdish question.

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This law contains grave errors and shortcomings. The recommendations of the parliamentary committee's report concerning the democratization and resolution of the Kurdish question are not taken into account in it.

In a statement released by the ANF news agency, the PKK highlighted that the bill's exclusive mention of disarmament, without using the term "Kurdish," indicates a failure to address the issue comprehensively. The group demands assurances that fighters renouncing arms will be able to participate in democratic political life without fear of imprisonment for their speech.

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The fact that [the draft law] mentions only disarmament without using the term "Kurdish" shows that the issue has not been addressed in its entirety.

The PKK also asserted that many provisions of the law would remain ineffective unless the group's historic leader, Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in isolation since 1999, is released. Öcalan had previously called for the PKK to lay down arms in response to a Turkish peace initiative launched in late 2024. The fate of the 77-year-old leader, serving a life sentence, has not been officially decided, with pro-government Turkish media suggesting he would be excluded from the law's clemency measures.

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will be able to participate in a democratic political life founded on freedom of thought and association, without risking being "imprisoned for their words."

The draft law, supported by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the pro-Kurdish DEM party, proposes suspending prosecution and sentences for certain offenses for five to ten years. Those who do not re-offend within this period will have their cases closed and sentences considered served. However, individuals convicted of the most serious crimes, such as intentional homicide, will be excluded from this mechanism.

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many provisions of the law will remain a dead letter if the historic leader of the armed group, Abdullah Öcalan, aged 77 and imprisoned in isolation since 1999, is not released.