Azernews.Az

A significant milestone has been reached in Turkiye’s “Terörsüz Türkiye” (A Turkiye Without Terror) process.

Since August 5, the National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission has been working on compiling the process report. The commission’s 21st meeting was chaired by the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye (TBMM), Numan Kurtulmuş, and attended by 50 member deputies. The report, which will define the legal framework of the process, was reviewed for the final time.

The 82-page report is divided into seven sections. The first section outlines the commission’s work and procedural developments. The second details debates during meetings, organized around the commission’s main objectives. The third section examines the historical roots of Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood and the principles of fraternal law. The fourth section presents areas of consensus drawn from analyses of statements heard by the commission. The fifth section covers the process of the PKK terrorist organization’s self-dissolution and disarmament. The sixth and seventh sections address proposed legal regulations for the process and recommendations related to democratization.

Key points outlined in the report include:

The most critical threshold of the process will be the state’s confirmation that the organization has fully disarmed.

A temporary, standalone legal regulation will be prepared to manage the post-disarmament process.

Legal proceedings will be pursued against organization members. The regulations will not create perceptions of amnesty or impunity.

Programs for social integration—including education, employment, psychosocial support, and local development—will be implemented.

Compliance with European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and Constitutional Court (AYM) rulings will be strengthened. Execution and trial legislation will be reviewed.

Amendments are proposed to expand rights and freedoms in assembly, demonstration, and press laws.

Local administrations are advised to exercise administrative oversight according to democratic standards, and a new Political Parties Law is recommended.

The report emphasizes the importance of conducting the “Turkiye Without Terror” process within the parliamentary framework. It stresses that the disarmament process is not the result of a negotiation. The report reiterates Turkiye’s unitary state structure, territorial integrity, the official status of the Turkish language, and the principles of a secular republic.

TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş read sections six and seven of the report to the public and stated:

“The commission’s work reflects a historic responsibility aimed at strengthening social peace, unity, and national solidarity. Today, we are experiencing a historic period regarding the issue of terrorism. Our Grand National Assembly has assumed its duty without hesitation. This report does not constitute an amnesty regulation. While drafting a new constitution is beyond the commission’s mandate, it remains a shared responsibility that must be fulfilled for our country. The report serves to clarify the shared understanding shaped by the commission’s work.”

Statements from political leaders emphasized the report’s significance:

AK Party Deputy Group Chairman Abdulhamit Gül: “This report and effort represent a consensus and reconciliation for Turkiye. It is a unique model, a manifesto of our brotherhood. The shared wish of this land is for mothers not to cry.”

AK Party Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Yayman: “The process has produced a Turkiye-wide alliance. This is both a state and national policy. We are standing in the right place in history.”

AK Party Deputy Chairman Kürşat Zorlu: “I believe that the upcoming legal regulations will be implemented without hurting the conscience of martyr families.”

TBMM Justice Commission Chairman Cüneyt Yüksel: “The process was not based on any negotiation. Let the weapons, not our children, be buried. This process establishes a unique Turkiye model.”

MHP Deputy Chairman Feti Yıldız: “The execution system needs reform. The constitution clearly mandates compliance with ECHR rulings. As a state of law, we must follow these decisions.”

The report was put to a vote and approved by a majority: 47 deputies voted in favor, two voted against, and one abstained. Opposition objections were recorded but did not alter the outcome. CHP Deputy Türkan Elçi abstained, citing the unsolved murder of her late husband Tahir Elçi and the lack of attention to unsolved crimes in the report. The Turkish leftist parties in parliament, the Workers’ Party of Turkiye (TİP) and the Labor Party (EMEP), voted “No.” After the meeting, Speaker Kurtulmuş confirmed that the report, with annotations and corrections, will be submitted to the TBMM Presidency.

The stance of the Democracy and Progress Party (DEM Party) on the “Turkiye Without Terror” process sparked debates. DEM Istanbul Deputy Cengiz Çiçek stated in commission discussions that they were uncomfortable with the terms “Turkiye Without Terror,” “terror,” and “terror plague” in the report.

At the same time, DEM Party issued a press release regarding the Imrali delegation’s Monday meeting with PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. Öcalan’s statements mirrored DEM Party’s concerns, noting opposition to the use of the term “terror.” His message read:

“The TBMM commission report must align with fundamental societal realities. The nature of the report will be extremely important for the next stages of the process. Politics that approach the solution with a ‘terror elimination’ mentality do not produce solutions; they signify a deadlock.”