A draft law addressing the legal aspects of the government’s “terror-free Türkiye project,” which envisions the full disarmament and dissolution of the PKK, will be passed in mid-August, according to sources from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Citing sources, the daily newspaper Hürriyet reported that the draft bill is expected to be voted on by Aug. 14, before the parliament goes on summer recess. Initially, the draft is expected to be submitted to parliament on Aug. 3.
The report suggests that the draft bill does not pave the way for jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan to benefit from the right to hope, a legal principle established by the European Court of Human Rights requiring periodic sentence reviews for life-sentenced prisoners.
The unpublished blueprint defines the PKK as a defunct terrorist group and proposes that its members who have not committed major crimes be placed on probation.
However, those who have committed serious crimes and are serving life sentences will not be covered under the draft law. PKK members will also be subject to a five-year supervision period, during which they will be banned from holding political office or working in the public sector.
This temporary law will remain in effect for six months, according to the report. Meanwhile, the armed forces and intelligence services will continue to monitor the disarmament of the terrorist organization and its members’ activities. A special committee is expected to be formed for this purpose.
The details of the draft bill were discussed during an AKP Central Executive Board meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on July 28
According to Hürriyet, Erdoğan instructed his deputies to accomplish the process before parliament goes to recess.
Representatives appointed by political parties for the campaign are expected to meet this week to discuss a roadmap for opening the draft legislation to joint signatures and coordinating political consultations.
The legislation follows a series of consultations led by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş with representatives from the AKP, its ally the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the New Path bloc.
Meanwhile, political contacts are set to continue, with DEM Party co-chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan scheduled to visit political parties this week as discussions over the initiative proceed.
The initiative gained momentum after PKK announced in May 2025 that it had ended its armed campaign and dissolved its organizational structure.
Parliament later established the 51-member National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission to oversee the political dimension of the process. The body includes representatives from all major political parties except the İYİ (Good) Party.
