Turkish parliament passes landmark legal framework for PKK disarmament

The General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly of Trkiye holds a debate on a draft legislation to establish a legal framework for implementing the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)'s disarmament, in Ankara, Trkiye, on Aug. 10, 2026. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)

ANKARA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Trkiye's parliament on Monday approved a legal framework for the disarmament and reintegration of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a key step toward ending a decades-long conflict.

Of 562 lawmakers present, 468 voted in favor and 88 against, with six abstentions after nearly 10 hours of debate, highlighting the political sensitivity of the initiative.

The draft legislation, submitted earlier this month, was endorsed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling alliance and also received backing from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party and other opposition groups.

The government has said the legislation is designed to facilitate the disarmament process than grant a general amnesty.

It allows lower-ranking PKK members not involved in killings or other serious crimes to return to Trkiye from northern Iraq under specified legal conditions, while excluding jailed PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan, senior PKK leaders and those serving aggravated life sentences.

The conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state, which began in 1984, has claimed more than 40,000 lives, according to widely cited estimates.

In May 2025, the PKK announced its decision to disarm and disband, following Ocalan's call to end the armed struggle.

Trkiye's parliament vote on a legal framework for the disarmament and reintegration of the Kurdistan Workers' Party in Ankara, Trkiye, Aug. 10, 2026. Trkiye's parliament on Monday approved a legal framework for the disarmament and reintegration of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a key step toward ending a decades-long conflict. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)