ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Jailed Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas called for justice, equality, and democratic reforms in Turkey amid the ongoing peace process, in a message read out during a conference organized by the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) in Istanbul on Sunday.

DEM Party, the main mediator between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Turkish state, held the International Conference on Peace and Democratic Society in Istanbul on Saturday and Sunday. The event gathered officials and figures who have contributed to the ongoing peace process in Turkey, in order to discuss the process and its developments.

“In this period, as we navigate one of the deepest crises in human history, peace is no longer a choice for us, nor for the peoples of the world; it is a necessity,” Demirtas said.

Turkey launched a crackdown in the wake of the attempted coup in 2016, arresting several lawmakers of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which currently exists under the name the DEM Party, including co-chairs Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, for allegedly having ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

“Peace is not simply the laying down of arms or silence. As you all know, true peace is possible with justice, equality, freedom, and a life of dignity. Peace is possible only through the establishment of a system in which Kurds, Turks, Arabs, Armenians, Assyrians, Alevis, Sunnis, women, young people, workers, believers or non-believers can feel themselves as equal and free citizens of these lands and live in prosperity,” he added.

The renewed peace process in Turkey was initiated in October 2024 by Devlet Behceli, leader of Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), who urged Ocalan to address the Turkish parliament and call on his group to disarm.

The PKK held a congress in May wherein the group decided to dissolve and disband upon the call of Ocalan. The group has since then taken two significant steps: Laying down the arms of some of its commanders in a historic ceremony, and announcing their withdrawal from Turkish territory.

“Turkey must no longer be remembered through denial, marginalization, and discriminatory policies, but rather as a place where the will to live together is most strongly sustained through democracy, rule of law, and social peace,” he added.

During the first day of the conference, a letter from jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was read out, in which he said that the group had "fulfilled its historical mission by ensuring the national existence of the Kurdish people,” stressing the importance of rebuilding society on a democratic basis to create “a lasting foundation for peace.”

The DEM Party has repeatedly called for the release of Kurdish political prisoners.

In October, DEM Party co-chair Tulay Hatimogullari said Demirtas remains imprisoned despite the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) ruling that his rights have been violated. His arrest “has no legal basis,” she stressed.

“Turkey is a party to the ECHR. As a party to the ECHR, failure to implement ECHR rulings constitutes a failure to recognize international law,” Hatimogullari emphasized. 

Last month, the ECHR rejected Ankara’s final appeal in Demirtas’ case, whose rights the court repeatedly found were violated.