The Japan Times - Turkey MPs back moves to 'reintegrate' former Kurdish fighters

The recommendations of the cross-party parliamentary commission are meant to prepare the legal groundwork for peace moves between Turkey and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Last year the PKK formally renounced its armed struggle against Turkey after four decades of violence that claimed some 50,000 lives on both sides.

"The law should seek the reintegration of individuals who reject weapons and violence into society," the report said, but stressed it "should not create a perception of impunity and amnesty".

The commission's 50 lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the report, with only two votes against and one abstention, an AFP reporter in the room said.

It will now be put to the Turkish parliament for approval before becoming law.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the report as "a significant achievement" and pledged "concrete steps" to ensure the PKK's complete dissolution.

"Now deliberations will begin in parliament regarding the legal dimension of the process," he said. Lawmakers told AFP it was likely to be after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins Thursday.

- No mention of Ocalan's fate -

The report made no reference to the fate of jailed PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan, who has led efforts to end the conflict from his cell on Imrali island where he has been held in solitary confinement since 1999.

But it called for steps to strengthen Turkish democracy, notably for a revision of terrorism laws to "strengthen freedom of expression".

"Non-violent acts should not be classified as terrorism, and actions that should fall within the scope of freedom of expression should not be considered terrorism," it said.

There was no immediate reaction from Ocalan, who was briefed on a draft on Monday by a delegation from the pro-Kurdish DEM party, a key player in the peace moves.

Gulistan Kilic Kocyigit, a senior DEM lawmaker on the commission, described the report as "very important".

"Frankly it opens a path to a solution. It's not a report that blocks the process, it points to the needs of the process and explains its requirements," he told AFP.

- 'Compliance' with ECHR rulings -

DEM has pushed hard for Turkey to ease conditions for Ocalan and others arrested for political reasons during the conflict.

The report also recommended that legislation regarding prisoners' sentences and conditions for release "be reviewed with a fairer and more equitable approach".

It stressed "the importance of full compliance with decisions of the European Court of Human Rights", saying mechanisms to ensure compliance "must be strengthened" and "administrative obstacles" removed.

It was understood to be a reference to a binding ECHR ruling ordering Turkey to release Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas, who has been jailed since 2016 on "terror-related offences" largely seen as political.

The commission, which held its first meeting on August 5, was chaired by parliamentary speaker Numan Kurtulmus.

"A lasting solution to Turkey's terrorism problem necessitates multifaceted... and comprehensive policies that are not limited to the security dimension alone," he said while presenting the report.

Ahead of the vote, several MPs expressed reservations over the text, with one criticising the lack of reference to "the Kurdish question".

Another said there was no mention of the "right to hope" for Ocalan -- shorthand for a possible early release from his life sentence -- a key concept first raised in October 2024 when Ankara extended an olive branch to the PKK founder, kicking off the process.

T.Ikeda--JT