DEM Party to Attend First PKK Disarmament Ceremony in Kurdistan Region

DEM Party's Media

The Imrali delegation.

The Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) announced on Saturday, 5 July 2025, that it will dispatch a delegation to the Kurdistan Region to participate in the inaugural disarmament ceremony of members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

In an official statement, the DEM Party described the event as a “significant and historic step,” marking the beginning of a new phase in the ongoing process for peace and the establishment of a democratic society.

“Our party, which has played a facilitating role since the outset of this process, has invited a limited number of columnists (15–20 individuals, selected by quota) to witness the event. These invited writers, along with representatives of NGOs and political parties, will be transported to the Kurdistan Region through our party’s organisation,” the statement said.

It further clarified that no restrictions would prevent other media representatives from attending:
“All journalists wishing to cover the ceremony—being held with the full knowledge of the authorities—are welcome to attend independently. To avoid any complications, journalists are requested to submit their names, along with the name of their media institution, a photograph of their press card, a contact number, and an email address. This information will be shared with the Kurdistan Regional Government for accreditation purposes. Further details concerning the date and logistical arrangements will be communicated in due course.”

In May, the PKK announced its intention to disband and renounce armed struggle, bringing an end to over four decades of conflict. The decision followed a call in February from PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan—who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999—for the organisation to convene a congress and formally disarm. The disarmament came following a series of visits by the Imrali delegation, which included members of the DEM Party, to the PKK leader.

In a recent development, the PKK declared that “a group of guerrilla fighters will come down from the mountains and bid farewell to their weapons as a gesture of goodwill towards peace and democratic politics.” The ceremony, expected to take place between 10 and 12 July 2025 in Sulaymaniyah, will mark the first tangible step towards disarmament.

Zagros Hiwa, a spokesperson for the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), which is the political wing of the PKK, told the Associated Press that the weapons will be destroyed “under the supervision of civil society institutions and interested parties.” He noted that the number of fighters participating in the ceremony is yet to be finalised, but is expected to be between 20 and 30.

Hiwa added that further progress towards full disarmament is contingent upon the lifting of the “regime of isolation” imposed on Öcalan, and the implementation of constitutional, legal, and political reforms that would enable former guerrilla fighters to reintegrate into democratic political life in Türkiye.



PUKMEDIA