Turkey's Parliament Weighs Conditional Amnesty for PKK Fighters

Turkey's parliament opened debate on Monday on a draft bill that would grant conditional amnesty to thousands of Kurdish militants, a key step in the government's latest peace initiative with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The proposed 12-article law outlines procedures for the disarmament of the group, which still holds most of its weapons, and the rehabilitation of its members. Under the plan, prison sentences for convicted PKK members could be suspended, and ongoing investigations and trials postponed for five or ten years, depending on the severity of the alleged offenses. If no terror-related crime is committed within that period, the cases would be dropped.

The amnesty would not apply to militants convicted of intentional killings or those sentenced to life terms before 2005, a clause that excludes imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and other senior figures.

The legislation also establishes ministerial and parliamentary committees to monitor the disarmament process. The measures would only take effect after Turkey's National Security Council confirms that the group has disbanded and surrendered all weapons. Eligible individuals would have six months to apply after the council's decision is published in the Official Gazette.

The PKK ended its decades-long armed campaign last year, declaring a decision to disarm and disband following a call from Ocalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999. The group staged a symbolic disarmament ceremony in northern Iraq and announced it was withdrawing fighters from key locations in Turkey.

The bill is expected to pass with support from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party, its nationalist allies, and the pro-Kurdish DEM party. DEM has lobbied for Ocalan to be granted official status to coordinate the transition, but the current proposal makes no mention of his status or possible release. Media reports suggest his conditions in prison may be improved, with broader visiting rights and communication.

The PKK has waged an armed insurgency since 1984, claiming tens of thousands of lives and spilling into Iraq and Syria. Designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, the group initially sought an independent Kurdish state before shifting to demands for autonomy and expanded rights. Previous peace efforts have failed, most recently in 2015.