Turkey MPs back historic law on reintegrating PKK militants

Turkey's parliament passed a historic law on Monday offering conditional pardons and legal protections to thousands of members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). After debating the 12-article bill for about 12 hours, lawmakers voted 468 to 88 in favor, with six abstentions. The legislation, backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party, its nationalist MHP allies, and the pro-Kurdish DEM party, outlines procedures for disarming and dissolving the PKK and reintegrating some members into civilian life.

The government emphasized it isn't a general amnesty, with some prison sentences suspended and investigations/trials postponed for 5-10 years if members commit no terrorism-related crimes during that time. Around 3,500 PKK-linked detainees could be released initially, with the measures coming into force once the PKK confirms its disarming and surrender of all weapons.

Lawmakers stated people convicted of intentional killings and those serving life sentences are excluded. The law doesn't cover imprisoned PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan, who has been held on Imrali island since 1999. Ocalan's case is outside the law's scope but he could still contribute to the peace process. The PKK called the legislation a "beginning" but demanded Ocalan's release and guarantees for fighters to engage in politics without prosecution.

Pro-Kurdish DEM lawmaker Gulistan Kilic Kocyigit expressed hope the people of Turkey could now consolidate peace and build democracy, while nationalist opposition lawmakers accused the government of making concessions to the PKK.