"The Act of Criminalizing the Kurdish Activities is Dumbfounding Nonsense"
In a significant development, the trial of Kurdish activist Mehmet Karaca begins on September 8th at the Berlin Higher Regional Court. Karaca, who has been in pre-trial detention since November 2024, is accused of membership in the PKK, a foreign terrorist organization according to the Federal Prosecutor General (GBA).
The arrest of Karaca, simultaneous with the arrest of three other Kurds, was met with controversy. His lawyer, Berlin lawyer Lukas Theune, the managing director of the Republican Lawyers' Association, has been vocal about the political influence, questionable detention conditions, and his demand for an end to the PKK ban.
The detention conditions for unconvicted individuals under Section 129b of the Criminal Code can be strict. Karaca's case is no exception, with drastic measures such as showers only every 14 days, one hour of sports per week, and severely restricted visiting hours. Even the prison staff find these conditions absurd.
The trial's delay is mainly due to the Federal Criminal Police Office taking a considerable amount of time with the investigations. The GBA alleges that Karaca was active for the PKK from 2014 to 2024, but no evidence was presented for his membership from 2016 to mid-2024 before the charges in 2024.
The lawyer for Mehmet Karaca argues that criminalizing the Kurdish movement in Germany is unfounded. Kurds have demonstrated peaceful and democratic behavior for decades, and the lawyer believes that now that the PKK has decided on its own dissolution, it is time for Germany to end this criminalization.
The PKK resolved to dissolve at the beginning of the year, but there is skepticism about a new chapter for Turkey. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Ankara in October 2024, and Turkish media reported that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan explained a joint approach against "terrorist organizations" was agreed upon during the meeting.
The lawyer for Mehmet Karaca is not just advocating for the lifting of the PKK ban since the organization's recent dissolution but since 1993. The hope is that this trial will lead to a reevaluation of the PKK's status and the treatment of the Kurdish minority in Germany.
Mehmet Karaca's health is currently good, and he is actively participating in the proceedings. The outcome of this trial is eagerly awaited, with implications not just for Karaca but for the Kurdish community in Germany and the broader debate on terrorism and political dissent.
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