Residents of the Mexmur (Makhmur) Refugee Camp, who have been holding a vigil for Abdullah Öcalan’s physical freedom for 736 days, called on the state to heed his call. “We want to return to our lands, not through surrender but with dignity,” they said.
Members of the Peace Mothers Assembly expressed frustration that while Kurds have taken significant steps toward peace, the state and government have not responded with equal determination, warning that “peace cannot be one-sided.”
The Democratic Unity Initiative will hold conferences in Bazîd (Doğubayazıt) and Mêrdîn (Mardin) to discuss Kurdish national unity and the ongoing peace process in Turkey, member Orhan Ayaz announced.
Zeynel Kete, Co-Chair of the Democratic Alevi Associations (DAD), described the symbolic burning of weapons during the July 11 disarmament ceremony as an act of profound transformation. “To burn is not to destroy, but to open the way for new existences,” he said, calling on Alevis to take an active role in the ongoing peace process.
Veysi Atmaca, a lawyer from the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), emphasized the necessity of a broad and inclusive parliamentary commission to address the Kurdish issue, arguing that constitutional amendments are essential for a lasting solution.
Journalist and political commentator Ali Bayramoğlu stated that legal guarantees are essential for militants who lay down arms. “Progress can only be made if the AKP and MHP open up democratic space, and that includes reaching societal consensus,” he said.
Citizens participating in the public meetings held in Aydın as part of the Peace and Democratic Society Process emphasized the need for broader societal involvement. Güler Erat stressed that the AKP, MHP, and CHP should also explain and support the process within their own communities.
In Bolu F-Type High-Security Prison, the release of 35 prisoners has been blocked by the Administrative and Observation Board on the grounds of “lack of good behavior,” according to Berivan Barin from the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD). Of the 35, 34 have been incarcerated for over 30 years.
Writer and Circassian intellectual Yalçın Karadaş has voiced support for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s July 9 call for inclusion of diverse identities in Turkey’s evolving peace process, emphasizing that the Circassian people want to be represented in the planned parliamentary peace commission.
In the Amed (Diyarbakır), healthcare professionals and civil society organizations have launched a petition campaign in support of the “Peace and Democratic Society” process. Emphasizing that peace cannot be built without the inclusion of civil actors, they declared: “We want to be part of the process.”
Nine months after the parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a new government has yet to be formed. Journalist Hawre Karwan warns that the ongoing political deadlock has evolved into a deep social crisis, with the public bearing the brunt of its consequences.
Esmer Çıkmaz, a Kurdish mother who has lost two of her children and hasn't heard from one of her sons amid decades of conflict in Turkey’s southeast, has called for peace, justice, and equal rights. “If Turks have rights, Kurds should have the same. We want our language, our identity,” she said.
Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Semsûr (Adıyaman) Provincial Organisation held its 1st Ordinary Congress. Speaking at the congress, DBP Co-Chair Keskin Bayındır pointed to the "Peace and Democratic Society Process" and said: "We will organise more in this process".
Shengal Academy of Social Sciences announced 7 decisions in the final declaration of the Enlightenment Conference held in Shengal on 17-18 July.