Ocalan moved to new wing of Imrali prison as Turkey seeks to end 42-year conflict

Turkey has moved Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, to a newly constructed section of his prison on Imrali Island. The transfer is part of an effort to resolve a conflict that has lasted for more than four decades. Mithat Sancar, a senior Kurdish official, confirmed the move in an interview with Medya Haber TV on Saturday.

Ocalan has been held on Imrali, located in the Sea of Marmara, since his capture in 1999. Improving his living conditions was a central demand from Kurdish groups during negotiations to end the 42-year war between the militia and the Turkish state. Sancar did not explicitly verify that the new wing offers better accommodation, but his comments suggested the change was intended to upgrade the facility.

The peace process began in earnest after Ocalan called for the PKK to disband and lay down its arms in February 2025. Three months later, the group announced it would cease hostilities. In August, the Turkish parliament passed legislation offering a conditional pardon to thousands of PKK fighters. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan subsequently signed the bill into law.

Sancar, a member of the pro-Kurdish DEM party, stated that the process has been on pause for the last two months. He argued that the transfer to the new installation makes it necessary to speed up the peace negotiations. Members of the DEM party have regularly visited Ocalan since his disarmament call, recognizing his influence among Kurdish communities and his role in driving the peace effort forward.

Sancar emphasized that Ocalan must coordinate the peace talks. He criticized the Turkish government for maintaining a rigid and insistent position. "The process cannot move forward with unilateral expectations and demands," Sancar said. He added that the government needs to distance itself from its stubborn stance.

The conflict with the PKK, which has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union since 1984, has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people. Ocalan co-founded the PKK in the 1970s. The recent legislative and prison changes mark the latest step in an effort to formalize the end of the long-standing dispute.