Turkey’s government has introduced a bill to parliament proposing a temporary suspension of certain prosecutions and prison sentences for members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as part of a broader peace effort. The legislative initiative, submitted on Wednesday, aims to encourage the PKK and related groups to disband and lay down their arms before the law would be implemented.

According to a government document reviewed by news agencies, the draft law does not include provisions for the release of Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned PKK leader, nor does it grant him any special legal status. Öcalan’s release had been a significant demand from the PKK in previous peace talks. Instead, the bill focuses on a conditional legal framework designed to facilitate the peace process, contingent on the PKK’s verified dissolution.

The proposed legislation marks a notable development in Turkey’s approach toward resolving the long-standing conflict with the PKK, which has been designated a terrorist organization by Ankara and several international governments. The peace process outlined by the bill would suspend certain ongoing legal actions against PKK members, signaling a potential shift in government policy toward reconciliation.

This move follows years of intermittent peace negotiations, violence, and heightened tensions between Turkish authorities and Kurdish militants. The outcome of the parliamentary debate and the reaction from the PKK and affiliated groups will be pivotal in determining whether the peace initiative advances or falters.