Two demonstrations in support of imprisoned Kurdish activist Kenan Ayaz took place on January 10—one outside the Hamburg court and another at a social centre in St. Pauli, as reported by a press release from the observatory overseeing Kenan Ayaz’s trial.
During the initial gathering, prominent Kurdish political figures, including exiled former MPs Ahmet Yildirim, Leyla Bilik, Ziya Pir, Selma Irmak, Tuba Hezer, Lezgin Botan, Nihat AkdoÄŸan, and the former mayor of Cizre, Leyla Imret, expressed their discontent. Their grievances extended beyond the prosecution of Kenan Ayaz to encompass the broader Turkish campaign against the Kurdish population.
Cypriot Member of Parliament Kostis Efstathiou also voiced his concerns on the matter.
Later that day, an informative session at the “Kolibri” social centre delved into the intricacies of Kenan Ayaz’s case.
The event featured recorded remarks from Member of the European Parliament Dimitris Papadakis, as well as statements from Member of Parliament Kostis Efstathiou, exiled former HDP MP Selma Irmak, and journalist Alekos Michaelides.
Kenan Ayaz’s trial is considered to be part of a broader crackdown on Kurdish activists in Germany, with charges of involvement in a terrorist organisation.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known as the PKK, remains classified as a terrorist organisation by Europol, and has been banned in Germany since 1993.
Ayaz was arrested in Cyprus in March 2023. He had resisted his extradition to Germany, claiming that the German criminal case on charges of his involvement with the PKK was politically motivated and that his arrest was solely prompted by Turkey.
The European arrest warrant against him was issued just before the NATO summit in Madrid in June 2022, where negotiations with Turkey regarding the accession of Sweden and Finland were set to take place.
Turkey sought to prevent Sweden’s NATO membership to gain concessions on the persecution of Kurds in Europe.
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