The application for asylum presented by Mehmet Çakas, who is on trial under article 129/b of the German Penal Code, was rejected. Çakas, who sought asylum in Italy, was arrested in December 2022 at the request of Germany, on the grounds that he was working as a PKK member in the Bremen-Hannover region. Çakas was extradited to Germany in March, and is being held in Hannover Prison.

The Celle Chief Public Prosecutor's Office accuses Çakas of engaging in activities such as organizing political meetings and demonstrations under article 129a/b of the Penal Code. The 4th Criminal Senate of the Celle Higher Regional Court approved the indictment and started the main trial on 16 August.

Women Defend Rojava and Defend Kurdistan called on people to attend the rally in front of OLG Celle on 4 September at 9am. Activists will then follow the hearing that will start at 10am.

The organizers of the action said: “War, oppression and massacres continue in different parts of Kurdistan. By violating international law, Germany is prosecuting people that defend human rights instead of those who violate them. We do not accept that the German state criminalizes the pursuit of freedom. For this, we stand in solidarity with Mehmet Çakas and everyone who has been subjected to state oppression.”