The appeal proceedings against the extradition of Kenan Ayaz to Germany have begun in Cyprus. The long-time Kurdish activist was arrested on 15 March at the airport in the port city of Larnaca on the basis of a German extradition request for alleged PKK membership, as he was about to fly to Sweden for a family visit. Since then, the 49-year-old activist has been in custody. While a Cypriot court submitted the extradition request on 19 April, Ayaz appealed against this decision and the proceedings are ongoing. Ayaz spent twelve years in prison in Turkey because of his political identity.

The hearing in the case took place in Nicosia on Tuesday. In front of the courthouse, numerous people demanded the immediate release of Kenan Ayaz. The hearing was adjourned until 9 May, and the final decision on extradition is to be made on 16 May.

When Ayaz was brought back to prison from the court, he greeted his supporters and shouted "Freedom for Kurdistan, freedom for Abdullah Öcalan" and "Kurdistan will be the grave of fascism" together with them.

Meanwhile, the public protest against Ayaz's imprisonment continues in Cyprus. An anarchist group demanded his release with a banner on a bridge in Nicosia.

The Federal Republic of Germany is increasingly persecuting Kurds abroad on behalf of the Erdogan regime. In order to achieve the transfer of Kurdish activists from abroad and to be able to accuse them of alleged PKK membership, the Federal German prosecution authorities are using all legal means to get hold of them. A Kurdish woman from Belgium was extradited in November 2022, a Kurdish man from France in January 2023 and an activist from Italy in early March. All of them are now in custody in Germany.