A Turkish parliamentary commission on Wednesday approved a document outlining proposed legal frameworks for the dissolution of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
According to Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, the document sets out a legal “roadmap” for the group’s dissolution and disarmament, as well as the reintegration of former PKK militants into society. It does not, however, offer an “amnesty arrangement” for former militants, Kurtulmuş stressed.
The main objective of the document - approved by 47 of the commission’s 50 members - is the realisation of a “terrorism-free Turkey” and the strengthening of democratic institutions.
The roughly 60-page text states that political reforms should be carried out in parallel with reciprocal steps by the PKK to disband and surrender its weapons. It also calls on the Turkish judiciary to review relevant legislation to ensure compliance with rulings by Türkiye’s Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights.
For decades, the PKK waged a violent insurgency against the Turkish state in which tens of thousands of people – both civilians and military personnel – were killed. The group is designated as a terrorist organisation by Ankara, Brussels and Washington.
Last year, the group’s Iraq-based leadership agreed to end its insurgent campaign, following an appeal by the PKK’s long-imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, for militants to lay down their arms.
In return, Ankara has pledged to pursue judicial reforms aimed at expanding Kurdish political participation and addressing long-standing Kurdish grievances.
Lawmakers from Turkiye’s pro-Kurdish DEM party cautiously welcomed the parliamentary document, saying the proposed legislative framework “must be enacted quickly.”
According to Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, a senior DEM Party lawmaker, the document provides a “very important roadmap” for advancing the ongoing peace process.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said parliament would soon begin taking steps to implement the proposed legal framework.
“Discussions will now begin in parliament regarding the legal aspects of the process,” he told reporters.
Australia's government said on Tuesday that Meta, Alphabet’s Google and TikTok could be penalised unless they negotiate payments with loc...
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Russia on Monday for a diplomatic visit to shore up support after two months of conflict....
Mexican special forces arrested Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero”, a senior commander of the p...
Kazakhstan has ratified a regional green energy agreement with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, signalling Central Asia’s ambition to become a key ...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stori...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 28th of April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United States and Iran clashed at the United Nations on Monday over Tehran's nuclear programme and its selection to be one of dozens of vice presidents at a month-long conference to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
It's doubtful that Iran's proposal on resolving the two-month war will be accepted by President Donald Trump, an official source said, dampening hopes for a resolution to the conflict that has disrupted energy supplies, fuelled inflation, and killed thousands.
The death toll from a train collision near Indonesia’s capital Jakarta rose to 14 women on Tuesday (28 April), with 84 people injured, after rescuers completed efforts to free passengers trapped in the wreckage, the state rail operator said.
Disney+ has debuted Disney Animation’s Songs in Sign Language, a new collection of animated musical sequences reimagined in American Sign Language (ASL), released on 27 April to mark National Deaf History Month.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war. Tehran said the U.S. should remove obstacles to a deal, including its blockade of Iran's ports. Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in St Petersburg for talks.
Market reaction to DeepSeek’s preview of its next-generation artificial intelligence model has been relatively subdued, in sharp contrast to the global shock triggered by its breakthrough releases last year.
Adidas shares rose after Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe delivered a historic performance at the London Marathon on Sunday (26 April), becoming the first athlete to run an official marathon in under two hours.
China’s reaction to the latest tensions around Iran has been firm in tone but restrained in action. It has condemned strikes, called for dialogue and stepped up diplomacy but shown no sign of military involvement or appetite for escalation.
The months-long disarmament process involving the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has made little tangible progress, Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın has said.
Azerbaijan is expanding its diplomatic and economic footprint amid European energy insecurity and global geopolitical tensions. The Czech Prime Minister’s 27 April visit to Gabala highlighted growing Azerbaijan–Central Europe cooperation, particularly in energy, industry and defence.
Afghanistan’s disaster authority says it is working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to boost emergency response, shelter support and volunteer networks following talks in Kabul on Sunday.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are advancing one of Central Asia’s largest joint energy projects: the construction of the Kambarata HPP-1 hydropower plant on the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan, with a planned capacity of nearly 2,000 megawatts.
150 senior leaders from the oil and trade industry met in Baku last week for the second annual Caspian and Central Asia Oil Trading and Logistics Forum, as the world grapples with oil and energy shortages linked to the Middle East conflict.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment