Turkey relocates Kurdish leader Ocalan
The PKK founder was moved to a new section of his island prison as Ankara seeks to accelerate peace talks.
By Anthony Foster ·
Abdullah Ocalan, the founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, has been transferred to a newly constructed wing of the prison on Imrali Island. Mithat Sancar, a senior lawmaker for the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, confirmed the relocation during a Saturday interview with Medya Haber TV. He stated that the move is part of a broader effort to end the 42-year conflict between Turkey and the militant group.
Ocalan has been held in the Marmara Sea penitentiary since his capture in 1999. The island sits between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea. Sancar did not provide specific details about the new facilities but indicated that the conditions are likely an improvement over his previous quarters. He described the current peace process as being on a pause for the last two months.
The relocation follows a series of diplomatic steps initiated by Ocalan. In February 2025, he called on the PKK to disband and disarm. Three months later, the organization announced it would lay down its arms and end hostilities. This development led the Turkish parliament to approve legislation in August granting a conditional pardon to thousands of PKK fighters. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the measure into law.
Sancar argued that the change in Ocalan's prison setting necessitates an acceleration of negotiations. He noted that Ocalan remains a central figure in the Kurdish community and is essential for advancing the peace process. Sancar emphasized that the leader must coordinate the talks, stating that the process cannot proceed with unilateral expectations or demands from the Turkish government.
He urged Ankara to move away from what he described as an insistent and rigid stance. Sancar is part of a group of DEM Party politicians who have visited Ocalan regularly since the PKK leader's call for disarmament. The conflict, which began in 1984, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. Turkey, the United States, and the European Union all designate the PKK as a terrorist organization.
The transfer marks a tangible shift in the diplomatic environment surrounding the conflict. Sancar's comments suggest that the physical conditions of Ocalan's detention are now linked to the timeline of the political resolution. The DEM Party continues to push for a faster pace, aiming to convert the recent ceasefire into a lasting agreement.
