Media: Türkiye drafts transitional law tied to potential PKK disarmament

Turkish parliamentary sources say a draft transitional law is being prepared, which if passed, will release about 4,200 people convicted in cases related to the terrorist organisation Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

According to officials familiar with the discussions speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, the proposed legislation would establish a temporary legal framework tied to the potential dissolution and disarmament of the PKK.

If adopted, the bill could lead to the release of approximately 4,200 prisoners convicted in cases related to the PKK. The measure envisions a review of cases involving individuals accused of membership in the organisation, spreading its propaganda, or acting in support of its objectives without formally being members.

The draft was prepared by a parliamentary committee tasked with developing the legal basis for a potential disarmament and dissolution process. Sources indicate that the law would be temporary and would only take effect after official confirmation that the PKK has fully ceased its activities and no longer poses a security threat to Türkiye.

The proposal does not include provisions related to the so-called “right to hope” for PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been serving a life sentence since 1999. Under European human rights jurisprudence, the “right to hope” refers to the possibility of review or conditional release for life-term prisoners after a certain period. Öcalan’s status remains one of the most sensitive and controversial issues in discussions surrounding any renewed peace efforts.

The draft legislation has not yet been formally submitted to parliament, and its final content and timing remain subject to political negotiations.

By Sabina Mammadli