The first court hearing for Şilan Özçelik (18), who was arrested by the British police on the allegation that she had been planning to join the YPJ, is to take place today at the Old Bailey. Özçelik was arrested on 11 March on a warrant issued by the Westminster Magistrates Court. She has been in HM Prison Holloway since then.

Özçelik did not say anything other than confirming her identity at the Westminster Magistrates Court following her arrest. Today, Kurdish organisations are planning a protest action in front of the court building to demand the release of Özçelik. The action will get start at the Old Bailey, EC4M 7EH, at 1.30pm.

Özçelik was taken into custody on 16 January at Stansted Airport on her return from Germany on the basis of “crimes related to terror” and then was arrested because of her trip on 27 October from St Pancras to Brussels on the grounds of “having attempted to join the YPG” in the framework of the 5th article of the anti-terror law of 2006. Her arrest was based on an abstract accusation of “having the intention to commit crimes relating to terror”.