First statement from Demirtaş after the Imralı delegation meeting! 'Concrete steps must be taken'

Pervin Buldan, Sırrı Süreyya Önder, and Ahmet Türk met with former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, who is being held in Edirne Prison. Following the meeting, Demirtaş released a statement via his social media account.

Demirtaş stated the following:

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I send my heartfelt greetings and love to everyone on the occasion of the visit by our "DEM Party Imralı Delegation." While I extend my thanks to our delegation, which continues its work with great sacrifice and seriousness, I also want to state that I have full confidence in and support for them, our party, the DEM Party, and especially Mr. Abdullah Öcalan, who is making great efforts for a democratic solution and peace on the Imralı Isolation Island.

The most sensitive issue of this period is public support. Therefore, transparency is extremely important and necessary. It is valuable that our delegation is informing the political parties in Parliament as a requirement of transparency, and that they will also be informing civil society organizations, as well as political and social circles in the coming days. It is also important that the language of peace prevails in all circles. Everyone speaking on these issues should avoid the language of threats, blackmail, humiliation, and provocative rhetoric; instead of creating a hollow and meaningless rhetoric based on winning and losing, everyone should focus on a common future where we all win.

Although there is a persistent avoidance of naming the process, for us, this is a process of "Democratization, Peace, and Brotherhood." As actors who engage in politics on a democratic and peaceful ground, we desire, want, and support the permanent end of conflicts and violence. We state that if Mr. Öcalan takes an initiative on this matter when the conditions are met, we will stand by him. The entire initiative for a possible call naturally rests with him. As he himself has stated, the responsibility for creating the legal and political ground for such a call lies with the government and the parliament. We offer all kinds of support to peace initiatives at this stage. However, we are neither the ones who will make the call nor the addressees of a potential call. As politicians, our role and mission are to strengthen the ground for peace, to encourage and incentivize the parties for peace, and to facilitate peace. But beyond that, our fundamental responsibility is to grow the peaceful, civil, and political struggle for democracy, freedoms, equality, justice, and fundamental human rights. The channels and opportunities for this struggle must be opened now so that the ground for peace can also be strengthened. We would like to bring this matter to the attention of those concerned.

Everyone should know that there are some good intentions and preparations being carried out with these good intentions. However, for the process to take concrete shape, confidence-building, tangible steps must be taken quickly. We are ready to provide all kinds of support to eliminate the conflicts that have caused indescribable pain in these lands for years and have consumed all of the country's energy, and to ensure a political peace.

However, political peace will only be permanent and beneficial to everyone and the country if it is carried out in a way that opens all channels for social peace—that is, the struggle for democratization, equality, justice, and freedoms. In this way, the social support for political peace will increase, and with the ownership of the majority of the people, all provocations and attempts at sabotage will be rendered void.

Again, in this critical and historical period, I extend my thanks and support to Mr. President, primarily, and to Mr. Devlet Bahçeli, Mr. Özgür Özel, and all other party leaders for the initiatives they have taken and will take for peace. I state that I will stand without hesitation by every step taken toward strengthening democracy, beyond any personal or partisan interest.

Finally, I would like to specifically state this: The direction and face of the majority of Kurds are turned toward Turkey. I believe that if peace and a strong democracy can be built, we will emerge from this process winning together. For this, I hope and wish that the Republic of Turkey will also turn its direction and face toward all Kurds to ensure the construction of a great and honorable peace.

While thanking our delegation once again, with my best wishes for their success, I send my warm greetings and love to you all once more.

Selahattin Demirtaş, January 11, 2025, Edirne Prison."