Önder’s Condition Increasingly Life-Threatening: Doctors

Önder, 62, was hospitalized late April 15 after experiencing cardiac arrest. Doctors discovered a tear in his aorta and performed a 12-hour operation involving bypass surgery and aortic grafting.

"We are at another breaking point. Our patient's reflexes have decreased, and brain edema continues," the hospital said in a statement marking his 13th day in intensive care.

Doctors said Önder's life-threatening condition continues to worsen as "neurological findings are deteriorating" compared to the first days.

"We will continue our treatment. We will wait patiently," they said.

Önder, a deputy parliament speaker, has been involved in renewed dialogue efforts with jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan and Turkish officials.

In a televised announcement on Feb. 27, Önder and other DEM Party officials conveyed a message from Öcalan urging PKK to disarm and dissolve.

PKK is listed as a terror group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

Önder's hospitalization came days after a landmark April 10 meeting at the presidential complex in Ankara, where he and fellow DEM Party lawmaker Pervin Buldan met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

It marked the first direct contact between Erdoğan and pro-Kurdish representatives in nearly 12 years. Turkey’s intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy leader Efkan Ala also attended the meeting.

Önder also played a central role in the 2013–2015 peace talks between the Turkish government and PKK. He was arrested in 2018 on charges of “making terrorist propaganda” and released the following year.

Source: HDN