The Albany Gazette - Turkish MPs back limited amnesty for Kurdish militants

Entitled "Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration," the bill, which will be put to a vote soon, was signed by 360 of 592 MPs.

They include lawmakers from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling AKP party, its ally the MHP, and the pro-Kurdish DEM party.

But the main opposition grouping, the newly created Yeni Parti, did not join, regretting they were given access to the text.

"I hope that this measure, which aims to rid Turkey once and for all of the terrorist threat, to strengthen our national unity and solidarity, and to consolidate the climate of peace in our country and our region, will bear fruit," Erdogan said on X.

"The draft law... drawn up following extensive consultations was presented today to our parliament with broad consensus, reflecting our nation's determination to find solutions," he said.

The proposed law does not specify what will become of Abdullah Ocalan, the 77-year-old founder and longtime leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), who has spent 27 years in solitary confinement on a prison island.

Ocalan had responded favourably to the peace initiative by calling on the movement to renounce armed struggle and lay down its weapons.

- 'Restoring peace and brotherhood' -

The draft law, which AFP was able to consult, "constitutes a basic framework that represents the first step in the legislative process" aimed at "restoring peace and brotherhood" in Turkey and in the region, according to its preamble.

It includes a mechanism opening the way for PKK fighters to return to civilian life in Turkey, on condition that the armed organisation "has ceased to exist in practice and handed over all weapons and ammunition under its control, and that a decision by the National Security Council confirming this determination has been published in the Official Gazette."

The launching of investigations and the execution of sentences relating to "the creation, management and propaganda of the PKK, as well as membership" in the armed group and the activities arising from it, including its financing, will be subject to a suspension of between five and 10 years, depending on the charges brought against the fighters.

If there are no repeat offences during the suspension period, investigations will be closed and sentences will be considered served, which could amount to a de facto amnesty.

- Six months for appeals -

The text however excludes from the amnesty "intentional homicides" and "crimes punishable by life imprisonment committed before June 1, 2005."

A council composed of several ministers and Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, as well as a parliamentary committee, will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the law.

Appeals will be limited to a six-month period. The six-month deadline will begin from the moment the law is effective for PKK members who want to benefit from it.

The law also provides for the "registration" of weapons surrendered or declared by PKK members.

"Today, we are opening a new page in Turkey’s political history. This law is an opportunity for all of us... It is a signature for peace, democracy and our shared future," said Tuncer Bakirhan, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish DEM party.

"The most critical stage of this process is the disarmament and dissolution of the terrorist organisation PKK in all its elements, as determined and confirmed by the state security forces," said Abdullah Güler, chair of the AKP’s parliamentary group.

The draft law will be examined on Friday by parliament’s justice committee before being put to a vote by the deputies.

Under a fast-track procedure, the entire process is expected to be completed by this weekend or early next week.

The peace process was launched in October 2024 at the initiative of the leader of the nationalist MHP party, Devlet Bahceli, an ally of the Turkish government, to put an end to the years of violence between the PKK and the Turkish army that have left at least 50,000 dead.

(E.Taylor--TAG)