This law is Turkey’s first legislative step towards ending the conflict. It was adopted 18 months after the founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan (Abdula Edžalanas), called on his followers to disarm.
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The document, approved by 468 votes in favor, 88 against, and six abstentions, foresees the return of some disarmed PKK fighters to civilian life without granting full amnesty.
However, it does not specify what will happen to 77-year-old A. Ocalan, who has been imprisoned in solitary confinement on Imrali prison island near Istanbul for the past 27 years.
A. Ocalan played an important role in efforts to end the conflict, issuing a historic call in February 2025 for his fighters to disarm and defend the rights of Turkey’s Kurdish minority through democratic means.
The bill, supported by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s (Redžep Tajip Erdohano) ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the pro-Kurdish DEM party, suspends criminal prosecution and prison sentences for certain crimes from five to 10 years.
It is expected that about 3,500 PKK-related prisoners will be released in the initial phase – about a third of those held in Turkish prisons, parliamentarians said.
If the individuals subject to this measure do not commit new crimes during that period, investigations will be dropped, and sentences will be considered served.
However, those involved in serious crimes, such as murder, would be separated, and A. Ocalan is not mentioned in the text.
Last week, Turkey’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz (Dževdetas Jilmazas) told CNN Turk that A. Ocalan’s case “does not fall within the scope of this law,” but without specifying, said the aging leader “will be able to contribute to the peace process.”
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“How can you negotiate with terrorists?”
Understanding the doubts of Turkish society, affected by decades of bloody conflict, the government has carefully emphasized that this text is not a general amnesty law.
Before the vote, there was obvious tension during the parliamentary debate on the bill, broadcast live on TRT public television.
“How can you negotiate with terrorists? (…) You said they would unconditionally lay down their arms,” said Turhan Comez (Turchanas Čemezas), a legislator from the nationalist opposition Good Party (Iyi Parti).
However, Ozgur Ozel (Ezgiuras Ezelis), leader of the new main Turkish opposition force, the Yeni Parti, which supported the bill, said that only “peace, democracy, and justice will be the remedy” for Turkey.
DEM played a key role in the “shooting diplomacy” that began in October 2024 between A. Ocalan and the Turkish political establishment – the party delegation regularly traveled to Imrali island to meet with him and convey messages.
Last May, the PKK announced it was disbanding at A. Ocalan’s urging, and two months later its fighters participated in a historic disarmament ceremony in the mountains of Northern Iraq, where they began symbolically destroying their weapons.
However, the PKK leadership stated that excluding A. Ocalan from the legislation would be a red line and warned on Sunday that many provisions of the bill would remain “dead letter” if it were not enacted.
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