This is the third time Nobel Prize winners have intervened in Öcalan's case, urging international institutions to take action in protecting his rights. In this letter the laureates go a step further, voicing support for the peace process he initiated.
88 Nobel Prize winners from a wide range of disciplines have signed a letter to international institutions and the Turkish Presidency in support of Kurdish leader #Abdullah Öcalan# ’s call for peace and the ongoing process for a resolution to the Kurdish Question as well as their ongoing concern about the conditions under which he has been held during his 26 years of imprisonment. They further state: “in a time of intensifying conflict around the world, Mr. Öcalan’s call for peace and democracy in Turkey stands as a beacon of hope for the peoples of the region.”.

The signatories criticise international institutions for their “apparent lack of meaningful efforts made by the European entities addressed here as well as the UN Human Rights Committee” on the case of Mr. Öcalan, calling on them to fulfil their obligations regarding protecting the rights, particularly in ensuring the implementation of the ECHR 2014 decision against aggravated life sentences, and on the “right to hope.”

This is the third time Nobel Prize winners have intervened in the case of Öcalan, urging international institutions to take action in protecting his rights. In this letter the laureates go a step further, voicing support for the peace process he initiated, and for his role as a key interlocutor in the process:

“Mr. Öcalan’s call follows in the spirit of fraternity and peace as Alfred Nobel emphasized so strongly. As Nobel Laureates, we recognize and support this initiative. In the context of resumed peace negotiations, and as the legitimate political representative and leader of the Kurdish people, Mr. Öcalan must be free and allowed to participate fully in the peace process he initiated, and thus to communicate freely with his lawyers, his party, and all actors in this process.”

This initiative was led by two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, Jody Williams (1997) and Shirin Ebadi (2003), active on topics of human rights and peace-building. In an interview earlier this year, Williams stressed the importance Öcalan’s freedom and unhindered participation in the process.

“Those of us who have been following the situation for some time certainly hope that Turkey will respond in kind, that they will take up his call and make the conditions for him to participate,” she said. “He’s a fully participating leader in this and also [needs] security.”

Williams further linked the struggle for Kurdish rights to broader global conflicts: “In today’s world, all we see is hatred and genocide…and to see Öcalan take this position and want to move forward for peace, it’s inspiring.”

The letter has been sent to all international institutions to which Turkey is member, including to the General Secretary of the Council of Europe, the Human Rights Commissioner, the President of the European Court of Human Rights, and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, inhuman and degrading treatment (CPT).

Further letters were sent to all members of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, which is due to rediscuss the implementation of the 2014 ECHR case Öcalan v. Turkey in September 2025.

A second letter was also sent to Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan, who bears considerable responsibility for both the implementation of ECHR decisions on Mr. Öcalan’s case, and for the continuation and success of the current peace process.[1]