The DEM Party delegation will visit Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed PKK founder, on İmralı Island on Aug. 28, following weeks of criticism over limited access.
Party officials said visits with Öcalan had been curtailed since July 25, with co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları stressing the need for urgent contact in line with the work of parliament’s National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission.
The group includes Pervin Buldan, Mithat Sancar and Faik Özgür Erol. A larger delegation with the party’s co-chairs is expected to travel next week.
COMMISSION TO HEAR LEGAL AND POLITICAL FIGURES
In parallel, the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission will hold key sessions in parliament. On Aug. 27, it will hear from Union of Turkish Bar Associations President Erinç Sağkan and representatives of the Ankara, Istanbul, Bingöl, Diyarbakır, Hatay, Malatya, Mardin, Mersin, Van and Sivas bar associations.
On Aug. 28, the focus will shift to former parliament speakers. Hikmet Çetin, Ömer İzgi, Bülent Arınç, Köksal Toptan and Mehmet Ali Şahin will attend the morning session, followed by Cemil Çiçek, İsmet Yılmaz, İsmail Kahraman, Binali Yıldırım and Mustafa Şentop in the afternoon.
The commission was formed to support the peace process and explore political, legal and social steps in the aftermath of the PKK’s disarmament decision.
