Kurdish community members held a media conference on the steps of Victoria's Parliament House on October 11 to amplify calls for Kurdish political prisoner Abdullah听脰calan to be freed. He has been in a Turkish prison for 24 years.
It was one of many to be organised听in 73 cities across听the world. A rally was also held in Gadi/Sydney.
Speakers included Kurdistan National Congress representative听Heval Herk,听Socialist Alliance听Merri-bek Councillor Sue Bolton, Ballarat Trades Hall Council committee member Ron Guy and Victorian Greens MP Samantha Ratnam.
Guy said Ballarat Trades Hall Council passed a motion supporting the call for 脰calan鈥檚 freedom.
The Federation of Democratic Kurdish Society, Australia, said in its release that the Treaty of Lausanne, which divided the Ottoman Empire and split Kurdish land between Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, is 鈥渋llegitimate鈥. It said the treaty enables the Turkish government to 鈥渉old Mr 脰calan in such an inhuman way, with torture and isolation for over 24 years鈥.
It said 脰calan鈥檚 imprisonment 鈥渕ust end鈥.
Ratnam said 鈥渢he Greens are proud to stand in solidarity with the Kurdish people鈥 in their fight for听脰calan鈥檚 freedom. She called on people to understand the Kurdish struggle and 鈥渁mplify the voice of Kurdish people鈥.
Susan Price, who chaired the media conference in Gadi, said freeing听脰calan is a necessary step towards securing a just,听democratic and political solution to Turkey's 鈥淜urdish question鈥. The speakers included former Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon, Greens MP Abigail Boyd, Greens MP Kobi Shetty, Reverend Bill Crews and Rachel Evans from Socialist Alliance.
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