Parliament panel begins review of bill on PKK dissolution

ANKARA

The parliament’s Justice Commission began deliberations on Aug. 7 on a draft law aimed at establishing a legal framework for the government-backed initiative to support the dissolution of PKK.

Chaired by ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker Cüneyt Yüksel, the committee held its first review of the “Draft Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration,” examining articles of the proposal as part of the legislative process.

The bill, submitted to parliament on Aug. 5, is expected to move to the General Assembly after committee approval and could be passed by lawmakers early next week.

The proposal lays out legal measures under the government’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, introducing conditional changes to criminal and enforcement laws. Its justification describes the regulation as the “basic framework forming the first step” of legal measures in the process, while emphasizing that it does not amount to a general amnesty.

The draft law would introduce limited and conditional legal arrangements for certain crimes linked to membership, leadership or assistance of PKK, propaganda on behalf of the terror group and other offenses committed as part of organizational activities.

It would also cover offenses under the Law on the Prevention of Financing Terrorism if they were allegedly committed in support of PKK.

Supporters of the bill say the measures would only take effect after security institutions determine that PKK and affiliated formations have ended their activities and surrendered all weapons and ammunition. The assessment would then require confirmation by the National Security Council (MGK) and publication in the Official Gazette.

The bill excludes intentional killings committed as part of organizational activities, as well as crimes committed before June 1, 2005, that carry aggravated life imprisonment or life imprisonment sentences.

The proposal does not directly refer to jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan.

The draft also establishes oversight mechanisms for the process. A coordination board chaired by the vice president would include the justice, foreign affairs, interior and national defense ministers, the secretary-generals of the presidency and the National Security Council (MGK) and the head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT).

A separate 17-member monitoring commission would be formed under the parliament speaker to oversee the implementation process and submit recommendations.

The bill also allows courts to consider requests to remove political restrictions and other rights limitations resulting from convictions, including bans on holding public office or being elected.

Those seeking to benefit from the regulation would have six months to apply after the MGK decision confirming the required conditions is published in the Official Gazette.

Under the proposal, investigations and prosecutions involving crimes punishable by up to 15 years in prison could be postponed for five years. Cases involving sentences exceeding 15 years, life imprisonment or aggravated life imprisonment could be postponed for 10 years.

The initiative has drawn mixed reactions from political parties. The İYİ (Good) Party remains the only major parliamentary group to reject the process outright, while the main opposition New Party has backed the goal of ending terrorism but criticized the government’s approach to the initiative.