Jailed PKK founder Ocalan moved to new section of Turkish island prison

What the report says

Turkiye has moved Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), to a newly built section of the island prison on Imrali where he has been held for 27 years, according to pro-Kurdish lawmakers cited by Al Jazeera. Mithat Sancar of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) said the transfer should prompt faster progress in the long-running and fragile peace effort between Ankara and the PKK. Another DEM politician, Pervin Buldan, said Ocalan himself had relayed news of the move and described the new location as still part of the prison complex.

The development comes amid broader debate over whether easing Ocalan’s detention conditions could help revive talks. Better prison conditions for Ocalan have long been a Kurdish demand, and some observers in Kurdish media have portrayed the move as preparation for a more active role in the process. Al Jazeera reported that the peace track has been stalled for about two months, while Turkish authorities have not publicly detailed the reasons for the transfer in the article.

The PKK was founded by Ocalan in 1978 and later launched an armed campaign against the Turkish state in 1984. The conflict has killed more than 40,000 people and the PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States and the European Union. Ocalan called on the group to disband and disarm in February 2025, and the PKK announced its dissolution in May. Turkiye’s parliament then approved a law in August offering limited amnesty for some PKK fighters, underscoring why Ocalan’s status remains central to the peace process.