Ankara, Turkiye – Turkiye has taken a significant step toward ending its decades-long conflict with Kurdish militants, as a new law offering conditional amnesty for PKK-linked offences comes into effect. The legislation, passed by Parliament on August 10, provides conditional suspension of prison sentences and pauses ongoing investigations or trials for PKK-related crimes for five to ten years. It is part of a broader peace initiative that began taking shape in 2024, when Ankara opened a new channel of dialogue with the Kurdish movement.
The law is designed to facilitate the reintegration of thousands of militants into society. It covers offences including membership, assisting the organisation, spreading propaganda, and financing terrorism. However, it excludes those convicted of intentional killings and those sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for offences committed before 2005, notably excluding PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. While Ocalan’s case does not fall within the scope of the law, government officials have said he could remain in a position to contribute to the peace process. The PKK has called the legislation a “beginning” but has demanded Ocalan’s release.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Board, chaired by Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz, held its first meeting on August 24, setting up working groups on legal issues, disarmament, monitoring, and social reintegration. The measures will take effect only after the National Security Council, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, confirms that the PKK has dissolved and surrendered its weapons, expected at its October meeting.
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The peace process follows Ocalan’s February call for the PKK to lay down arms and dissolve, which led to the group’s formal dissolution in May and a symbolic disarmament ceremony in July. Despite criticism from some nationalist politicians, the process is moving forward, with the coming months expected to be crucial for its implementation.
