Turkey’s legislative body voted 468-88 in favor of a measure that would provide a conditional pardon mechanism for thousands of Kurdish militants affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. The legislation would only take effect after Turkish authorities confirm that the PKK has fully disarmed and dissolved itself, according to verification by the National Security Council.
The PKK, which announced its intention to end decades of armed conflict last year in response to a call from imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan, conducted a symbolic disarmament ceremony in northern Iraq and reported the withdrawal of fighters from Turkish locations. The proposed law consists of 12 articles outlining disarmament procedures and rehabilitation measures for PKK members. It would suspend some prison sentences for convicted members and postpone investigations and trials for five to ten years depending on offense severity, with cases being dropped if no terror-related crimes occur during the suspension period.
Certain categories remain excluded from the bill’s provisions, including militants convicted of intentional killings and those sentenced to life imprisonment before 2005. Abdullah Ocalan and other senior PKK leadership also fall outside the measure’s scope. The legislation establishes ministerial and parliamentary committees to oversee the disarmament process, with eligible individuals granted six months to apply following the National Security Council’s official notification.
While Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus characterized the vote as opening a new era of peace and solidarity, the PKK issued a statement describing the legislation as a beginning with significant shortcomings. The group called for Ocalan’s release and emphasized that fighters would not surrender weapons unless they could engage freely in democratic politics upon returning to Turkey. The pro-Kurdish DEM party, which supported the measure, acknowledged its deficiencies and stated responsibility to address remaining issues regarding Kurdish rights and democratic reforms.
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has claimed tens of thousands of lives since the group’s 1984 insurgency began. Previous peace efforts, including negotiations in 2015, have been unsuccessful. The measure carries implications extending beyond Turkey’s borders, potentially strengthening relations with Iraq and affecting dynamics in Syria regarding Kurdish-held territories.
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