Press Statement
Ankara, 27 February 2026 – Today, one year after Kurdistan Workers‘ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan issued a call for “Peace and a Democratic Society”, a 7-member independent international delegation concludes its first mission to observe legal developments in the ongoing peace process in Türkiye in relation to the Kurdish issue.
The Independent Legal Mission on the Peace Process in Türkiye (the Mission) was formed under the auspices of the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH) and Association for Democracy and International Law (MAF-DAD). In addition to lawyers affiliated with these organisations, the Mission was also constituted with the institutional participation of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), the Union of Italian Penal Chambers (UCPI) and Esculca.
Objective
The objective of the Mission is to better understand recent developments related to the peace process in Türkiye and contribute to the achievement of a just and lasting peace rooted in the principles established by the UN Declaration on the Right to Peace (A/RES/71/189).
The Mission’s work is grounded in comprehensive multi-stakeholder consultations and full acknowledgment of the sovereignty of the Republic of Türkiye and its democratic institutions. Guided by principles of neutrality, transparency, and constructive dialogue, the Mission seeks to gain an in-depth understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and concerns surrounding the current phase of the process, while facilitating open and respectful exchanges of views with all relevant actors.
The full statement