Abdullah Öcalan moved to villa for peace negotiations

PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan has been transferred to a 250-square-meter villa located within the Imrali prison complex in Turkey. The move is intended to facilitate his participation in negotiations with the Turkish government, specifically aimed at the disarmament of the PKK.

The peace process faces significant hurdles. While the Turkish government requires verified surrender of weapons, the Kurdish side is seeking constitutional guarantees regarding language rights and local autonomy. The pro-Kurdish DEM Party has criticized the move, with officials stating that improvements to detention conditions are insufficient and that the process cannot progress based on unilateral demands.

The transfer has drawn sharp criticism from nationalist figures. Ümit Özdağ, leader of the Victory Party, criticized the arrangement, characterizing Öcalan as a terrorist living in a private villa rather than a convicted prisoner.