German police harassed members of the "Delegation for Peace and Freedom in Kurdistan" at Frankfurt airport. Several delegates had their heads pressed against the wall, and one activist was taken away.
At Frankfurt Airport, police officers from the Hessen Evidence and Detention Unit (BFE) harassed members of the "Delegation for Peace and Freedom in Kurdistan" who returned from southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) at noon. Eight delegates were subjected to identification treatments, several people were pressed with their heads against the wall and detained without justification.
Another activist, who wanted to receive the group as part of a solidarity welcome, was brought to the ground by BFE officers and handcuffed with his hands behind his back before being taken away. There is no justification for the measure. The police are extremely aggressive.
The delegates feel that their fundamental rights are being restricted and protest the disproportionality of the brutal measure. The situation remains tense.
On Wednesday one of the last groups of the peace delegation returned to Frankfurt. Six members of the delegation were detained and interrogated there for several hours. Precisely to prevent a repetition of this situation, a solidarity reception was called for Sunday.
The delegation had traveled to South Kurdistan (Iraq) earlier this month to draw attention to the Turkish invasion of the region, which has been ongoing since April 24, and to hold talks with politicians and civil society. The population affected by the occupation rejects the war and is appealing to the international community to build diplomatic pressure to stop the invasion. In response to this call for help, 150 politicians, academics, human rights activists and activists from 14 European countries had formed a peace delegation and traveled to South Kurdistan to create international publicity.
Despite severe obstruction of the delegation by German and Iraqi authorities, who prevented an important part of the delegation, including several MPs, from leaving Germany or entering Hewlêr (Erbil), the delegation was successful. A broad, international media coverage was achieved and the initiative "Defend Kurdistan" was proclaimed at a press conference in Hewler on June 14.
