Cansu Özdemir, co-chair of the Hamburg Left Group, is facing an investigation for sharing PKK flag on social media platform Twitter. Left Party called for an immediate closure of the investigation.
Cansu Özdemir, co-chair of the Hamburg State Left Party Group, published a post calling for an end to Germany’s PKK ban on 27 November 2017, on the anniversary of the founding of the PKK.
Hamburg Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against Özdemir on the grounds of the PKK flag in her post.
In a statement about the investigation, Hamburg State Left Party Group pointed out that the Twitter post was shared in the scope of freedom of thought.
Recalling that Özdemir had faced a similar investigation back in 2015, the Left Party Group called for an end to “the policy of ban and repression against the symbols of a movement that is a prominent political actor in the Middle East, has gained great sympathy with the struggle against ISIS, and fights for women’s rights and democracy”.
ÖZDEMİR: I WILL CONTINUE EXPRESSING MY THOUGHTS
In a written statement about the investigation, Cansu Özdemir stressed that such investigations will not intimidate her and that she will continue expressing her thoughts. She noted that thousands of people were aggrieved due to the PKK ban in Germany.
Özdemir stated that she did not consider the PKK, PYD, YPG/YPJ a “terrorist organisation” and reminded of a decision made last year by a local court in Belgium which said that “PKK is not a terrorist organisation but only an organisation that gives an armed struggle against Turkey”.
Pointing out the fight given under the lead of the YPG and YPJ against the Turkish state in Afrin, Özdemir strongly criticised the foreign policy of the Merkel-led federal government. She remarked that “the lack of ethical values in foreign politics greatly harms Germany”, and recalled that the Erdogan regime tracks several opposition figures in Germany, parliamentarians being in the first place.
Özdemir emphasised that she herself is tracked by the Turkish intelligence and therefore her security of life is in danger, adding; “I have been informed by the security units in Hamburg on this matter. An agent of Turkish intelligence MİT stands trial in Hamburg, but is not subjected to any investigation despite the presence of many evidences.”
Özdemir pointed out that she will never take a step backward nor keep quite or change her thoughts in the face of such investigations, adding; “On the contrary, I will continue expressing my thoughts at every opportunity and in particular I will continue supporting the Afrin resistance.”
