New Imrali Meeting Signals Momentum in PKK Disarmament and Peace Talks

DEM Party's Media

A photo of Öcalan's last message.

The Imrali delegation, which consists of the People's Equality and Democracy (DEM Party) lawmakers, has held another meeting with Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), at Imrali Prison, where they discussed recent high-level meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, and political party leaders concerning the PKK’s disarmament process.

In a statement released on Saturday, 26 July 2025, the delegation said: “The DEM Party Imrali Delegation held a three-and-a-half-hour meeting with Mr Abdullah Öcalan at Imrali Prison on 25 July 2025.”

The statement continued: “We exchanged views on the meetings we recently held as a delegation with the President, the Minister of Justice, and leaders of political parties.”

The delegation also conveyed observations from the disarmament ceremony held on 11 July in Sulaymaniyah, where a group of PKK fighters formally laid down and destroyed their weapons. Öcalan was reported to have expressed deep appreciation for the manner in which the event was conducted and for the commitment to peace and resolution demonstrated by those involved.

“He emphasised his expectation that the commission currently on the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) would contribute meaningfully to peace and democracy through a comprehensive and inclusive approach,” the statement read.

The PKK’s announced in May 2025 that it would formally disband and abandon its armed struggle, following a call from Öcalan in February for the group to convene a congress and begin a full disarmament process.

Answering the call, the PKK took the first formal step towards disarmament on 11 July 2025, where a group of PKK fighters laid down their weapons and destroyed them in a ceremony held in Sulaymaniyah. The step marked a significant turning point after more than four decades of armed struggle.

The latest developments follow sustained mediation by the Imrali Delegation, which has facilitated dialogue between Öcalan and the Turkish state. Since the resumption of the peace process, the delegation has met with Öcalan over six times at Imrali Prison.

 


PUKMEDIA