Marches and rallies will be held in Germany in order to demand an end the ban on PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) and the removal of the PKK from the ‘list of terrorist organizations.’

NAV-DEM and YJK-E issued a written statement and recalled that in a political decision on November 26, 1993, Germany had put a ban on the PKK. The organizations recalled that many people have been jailed or fined because of the decision, and criticized the PKK ban as well as the criminalization of Kurdish people in Germany.

NAV-DEM and YJK-E stated that according to intelligence reports, PKK had 6 thousand and 900 supporters at the time when the ban was placed, and this number rose to 13 thousand recently.

'MORE ROYALIST THAN THE KING'

NAV-DEM and YJK-E emphasized that the ban on the PKK was placed in response to the demands of Turkey, with whom Germany has close economical and political ties. The two organizations criticized Germany’s arms sales to Turkey, and said that Germany’s support contributed to the oppression of Kurdish people’s rights and demands. NAV-DEM and YJK-E underlined that Germany did not lift the PKK ban despite the many protests of Kurdish people over the past 23 years, but instead criminalized the nearly 1 million Kurdish people living inside Germany. The organizations described Germany’s policies as ‘more royalist than the king', and recalled that the PKK avoids acts of violence inside Germany.

'BAN NO LONGER MEANINGFUL'

NAV-DEM and YJK-E recalled that many German politicians view the ban as no longer meaningful, and the recent successes of the PKK against ISIS in Kobanê and Shengal have gained sympathy in Germany. The organizations highlighted the silence of Europe on the Turkish state’s genocidal attacks against Kurds, and said that the criminalization of Kurdish people implies support to the AKP and ISIS gangs and prevents the democratic resolution of the Kurdish issue.

NAV-DEM and YJK-E recalled the AKP government’s destruction of towns such as Cizre, Sur, Gever, Gımgım, Silvan, Nusaybin and Şırnak, arrest of politicians and academics, closure of newspapers, TV channels and radio stations, appointment of trustees to Kurdish municipalities, and arrest of HDP co-presidents and parliamentarians, and emphasized that the silence of the European Union encourages Erdoğan to intensify his attacks on Kurdish population.

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

In their statement, NAV-DEM and YJK-E denounced the unfair ban on the PKK and called for the ending of anti-democratic measures in order to ensure the freedom of peoples, faith groups and women. The organizations announced that they are organizing protests on the 23rd year anniversary of the PKK ban, and called upon all revolutionaries, democrats and enlightened people to join the protests across Germany on November 26.

INFORMATION ON THE PROTESTS

NAV-DEM and YJK-E ended their statement with the below information on the upcoming protests:

1- Westfalen: November 26, Saturday

Time: 13:00

Place: Behind Dortmund Hauptbahnhof (across the cinema), march and rally

2- Stuttgart: November 26, Saturday

Time: 14:00

Place: At Lautenschlagerstr (across the Hauptbahnhof), march and rally

3- Göppingen: November 26, Saturday

Time: Between 10.00 and 12.00, information tent

4- Hamburg: November 26, Saturday

Time: 15.30

Place: Hamburg Sternschanze Bahnhof, march and rally

5- Bonn: November 26, Saturday

Time: 14.00

Place: Kaiser Platz, march and rally

6- Saarbrücken: November 26, Saturday

Time: 13.00

Place: Johannes - Hoffmann Platz, march and rally

7- Berlin: November 26, Saturday

Time: 16.00

Place: Warschauerstr, march and rally

8- München: November 26, Saturday

Time: 14.00

Place: Odeonplatz, rally

9- Frankfurt: November 30, Wednesday

Time: 16.00

Place: Kaiser Str. (across the Hauptbahnhof)