In Cyprus, masses took to the streets on Thursday to demand the release of Kenan Ayaz. The Kurdish activist has been in prison since mid-March because Germany is demanding the extradition of Ayaz, who went on an indefinite hunger strike on May 4.

The protest march organized by an anarchist group in Nicosia was joined by the Kurdish community, politicians from the AKEL and EDEK parties as well as the journalist Alekos Michailidis, who has been reporting on the case since Kenan Ayaz was arrested on 15 March.

The protest march continued to the prison where Ayaz is being held in extradition custody. In front of the prison, the activists shouted "Freedom for Kenan Ayaz" and "Kurdistan will be the grave of fascism". In a speech, Ayaz's long-standing commitment was pointed out and it was highlighted that: “A people's struggle for freedom cannot be judged as terrorism.”

As an activist of the Kurdish freedom movement and because of his political identity, Kenan Ayaz remained in prison in Turkey for twelve years. He has been living in the Greek part of Cyprus since 2013 and is a recognised refugee. He continued his political engagement in exile, publicly and legally. He is apparently not accused of any individual offences by the German judiciary either.

The Kurdish cultural centre Teofilos announced that a solidarity hunger strike for Kenan Ayaz will start in front of the courthouse today. The final decision on extradition to Germany is to be made on May 16.