The Turkish Parliament approved the Commission’s visit to İmralı to meet with Öcalan
Today, the commission called “National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy” convened with the agenda of visiting the high-security prison on İmralı. Before the session began, Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, had met with party coordinators. Ultimately, the commission decided by majority vote to send a delegation to meet Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the PKK terrorist organization, in İmralı. The Republican People’s Party announced it would not participate in this trip.
The final vote showed 32 members of the commission in favor, three against, and two abstentions. The Justice and Development Party, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and the Democratic Party (DEM) voted in favor; while the Democratic Party, the Democratic Left Party (DSP), and the Free Cause Party (HÜDAPAR) opposed. Two members of the Yeni Yol group abstained. The names of the delegation members will be announced tomorrow, and travel authorization will be obtained from the Ministry of Justice.
The commission meeting began under Kurtulmuş’s chairmanship and continued with a vote to hold it behind closed doors. The Republican People’s Party objected to this decision and left the session. Murat Emir, Deputy Group Chairman of CHP, stressed that the discussion about the İmralı visit should not be held behind closed doors, adding: “Our party will bring peace to this country.”
In recent days, Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, repeatedly called for a meeting with Öcalan and even declared that if others opposed, he would personally go to İmralı with three of his party colleagues. This stance drew wide reactions. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, leader of the Justice and Development Party, described Bahçeli’s words as “courageous,” while the Democratic Party called it “acceptance of historical responsibility.”
The Justice and Development Party also held an internal meeting, after which Abdullah Güler, Group Chairman, announced that they considered the İmralı visit a positive step. He emphasized that the trip would only serve the purpose of “listening and evaluating” and would not involve any legislative activity. The name of the party’s representative in the delegation has not yet been determined.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party announced that Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, Deputy Group Chairwoman, would represent them in the delegation. The Nationalist Movement Party also appointed Feti Yıldız for the visit.
If this decision is implemented, Abdullah Öcalan will meet for the first time with parliamentarians from parties other than DEM. Until now, he has only met with members of the Democratic Party, his family, and his lawyers.
