A group of German politicians from Die Linke party held a joint press conference regarding the killing of Kader Ortakaya, an MA student at the Marmara University in Istanbul, who was shot dead by Turkish soldiers as she joined the resistance vigil at Suruç-Kobanê border last week.

Offering their condolences to the family and friends of Ortakaya, the German politicians strongly criticised the AKP government for attacks on civilians in solidarity with Kobanê.

The press conference was attended by Die Linke MP Ulla Jelpke, Die Linke deputy for Hessen State, Barbara Cárdenas, Nurnberg City Council member from Die Linke, Marion Padua, Die Linke deputy nominee for Hamburg State, Martin Dolzer, Cologne City Council member, Hamide Akbayır, FKE member Yılmaz Kaba and Die Linke’s Working Group for “Democracy for Turkey, peace for Kurdistan”

Speaking first, Barbara Cárdenas, Die Linke deputy at Hessen State, drew attention to the incidents and conflict witnessed during the last month when 40 people were killed by the security forces of the AKP government and pro-Hezbullah counter guerrilla groups and said “Erdoğan/Davutoğlu government prevents solidarity with Kobanê, but allows the ISIS”.

Marion Padua, Nurnberg City Council member from Die Linke, demanded more pressure on the Turkish government to stop the arms-friendship with ISIS.

Martin Dolz, Die Linke deputy nominee for Hamburg State, offered condolescens to the family and friends of Ortakaya and added that the Federal Government of Germany must recognise Rojava and stop arms sale to the countries supporting ISIS, mainly to Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Ulla Jelpke, Die Linke MP, said PKK ban is now outdated as the PKK is now an effective force struggling against the ISIS. Jelpke said the PKK must urgently be put out of the European Union’s list of terrorist organisations.