Abdullah Öcalan

Abdullah Öcalan is a Kurdish political leader and founding member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which was established in 1978 to seek Kurdish rights and autonomy in Turkey. He played a significant role in advocating for Kurdish cultural identity and political demands through armed struggle and negotiations. Öcalan was captured in 1999 and has been imprisoned in Turkey since then. His influence remains central to Kurdish politics, and he is seen by supporters as a symbol of Kurdish resistance and aspirations for greater cultural and political recognition.