site.btaTurkish Nationalist Leader Bahceli Describes MPs Meeting with Ocalan as Historic Step Forward

The leader of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahceli, described Monday's visit by members of the Grand National Assembly to Imrali prison, where Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan is being held, as a historic step forward, state broadcaster TRT Haber reported.

Bahceli is considered one of the architects of the PKK disarmament plan.

The delegation's visit took place after a vote at the meeting of the parliamentary PKK Disarmament Commission, which was held on November 21. Thirty-two of the 51 members of the Commission voted in favour of the plan, while the country's largest opposition party, the Republican People's Party, said it would not send its members to visit the prison in the Marmara Sea.

Bahceli's comment on the meeting, which discussed the disarmament process and the agreement with the Syrian government, which foresees the integration of the Kurdish-led forces into the state apparatus of Syria, came during a meeting of the party's parliamentary group. The nationalist leader stressed that this decision is another step towards achieving the goal of preventing terrorism in Turkiye.

"One of the key aspects of Turkiye's plan for the prevention of terrorism is “Imrali” [some politicians in Turkiye avoid using Ocalan’s name]. Last Friday, the Commission formed in the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye decided by a majority vote to visit Imrali Island. According to the decision, the visit to the prison by one MP each from MHP, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) is a historic development on the issue. In this regard, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to MHP deputy chairman and Istanbul MP Feti Yildiz, as well as to all other MPs," Bahceli said. 

The PKK, considered a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the US, the EU and the UK, has waged an armed struggle against the Turkish state since 1984, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. In May 2025, the group announced its dissolution, ending its armed campaign, following a call from the imprisoned leader and founder of the organization, Abdullah Ocalan. The disarmament process, launched in July 2025, includes a parliamentary commission tasked with legislative proposals expected by the year's end.

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus was appointed chair of the parliamentary National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission, formed to oversee the peace and disarmament initiative, signalling the importance Ankara attaches to overcoming terrorism. Its members have already heard from ministers, lawyers, families of the deceased, veterans and representatives of various professional organizations to review progress so far and gather ideas to support the success of the process. By the end of the year, the Turkish Parliament's PKK disarmament commission is expected to propose legislative initiatives.