Kurdish activist Özgür A. is currently being tried in the Koblenz Higher Regional Court for allegations of membership in the PKK. Since his arrest on 29 April 2022 in Bremen, he has been in solitary confinement, which violates human rights. 

As announced on the last day of the trial before the winter break, two state police officers were questioned at the fourth hearing on Thursday. They were present when Özgür A. was arrested and carried out the ordered search of his apartment. The questioning of the witnesses was primarily about the confiscated evidence from the room that is said to have been Özgür A.'s room.

The two witnesses were questioned about the circumstances of the search. As is so often the case, neither of them could remember important details. The seized objects were shown to them and the other parties involved in the trial.

Cash equivalent to one month's rent sufficient for suspicion of terrorism

Not all objects can be unequivocally assigned as belonging to Özgür A. Nevertheless, the indictment is based on this evidence, among other things. Seized cash in a (travel) suitcase, which to date could not be unequivocally attributed to the accused, is evidence that shows the perfidious way of thinking and working of the German repressive authorities: 1.200 euros in cash found in the apartment of a Kurd is enough in Germany for the suspicion of being involved in "terrorist structures". That is roughly the gross monthly rent for an average apartment in Bremen.

While the witnesses both confirmed that another resident of the home had testified at the scene that it was his suitcase and money, they believed that was a lie. A final assessment on this point is pending. Both witnesses were let go after relatively short questioning.

At the end of the day of the trial, those involved were given a list of telecommunications surveillance records that are to become part of the evidence in the coming weeks. The defense was also given the results of fingerprints taken from the suitcase.

The next hearing will take place on Monday, 9 January at 9.30 am.