Around 150 people gathered early Saturday afternoon at Patrice Lumumba Square in Ixelles to demand “Freedom for Kurdistan” and the release of Abdullah Öcalan, the historic leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, who has been imprisoned in Turkey for 26 years and is now 76 years old.
The rally was organised by Kurdish organisations in Belgium as part of a series of mobilisations ongoing for nearly three weeks across the country.
Organisers stated that 18 actions had already taken place in Flanders, Brussels, and Wallonia before this demonstration, which marked the 19th protest.
After the gathering, participants planned to march towards the European Parliament at Place du Luxembourg.
Protesters voiced their determination to maintain pressure in response to what they described as “persistent threats against the Kurdish population.”
Organisers highlighted an agreement previously reached between Abdullah Öcalan and the Turkish state, claiming it had never been fully implemented.
In a written statement, they criticised the international community, blaming the United States and the European Union for prioritising geopolitical interests over the rights of Kurds in Syria and Iraq, as well as over the political project in Rojava.
A ceasefire is currently in effect in Syria, alongside discussions to integrate de-facto autonomous Kurdish Rojava into the Syrian state.
However, organisers expressed concerns that these negotiations involve significant compromises in autonomy and rights, without adequate constitutional safeguards.
They further raised alarm over the humanitarian situation, pointing to the ongoing blockade around Kobané, a Kurdish city with symbolic significance.
