Turkish court sentenced Selahattin Demirtas to over 20 years in prison for inciting 2014 protests following an Islamic State attack on Kobani. The verdict may escalate political tensions surrounding Demirtas’ pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party.
Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurdish leader, has been in solitary confinement on Imrali island since 1999, with no communication since March 2021. Despite his efforts for peace in the Middle East, European leaders remain silent on his situation and human rights violations. Ibrahim Bilmez, Öcalan’s lawyer, urges Europe to recognize Öcalan’s efforts and demand his release to help bring peace to the region.