Over 70 NGOs, politicians, human rights defenders, and academics in Germany called for a central march on December 1 in Berlin against the PKK ban, racism and the Police Act. The protest will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the PKK ban, and is supported by various political parties, union representatives, feminists and several leftwing groups. The demonstration will have the motto, “Demand for freedom can’t be banned - Joint struggle against the Police Act, PKK ban and nationalism”, and the organizers say, “We are calling on wide democratic alliances to speak up against the PKK ban on December 1.”

Messages from organizers about the December 1 Berlin meeting, the PKK ban and the Court of Justice sent through the Yeni Ozgur Politika are as follows:

JUST THE RIGHT TIME TO OPPOSE

Monika Morres (AZADÎ Law Office Representative): “The demonstration on December 1 will be a protest against the state’s dangerous attacks against citizens’ rights, sexist and exclusionary policies and racism. It is just the right time to oppose these developments leading to a police state, with our resistance! Obviously in this context, we must demand the PKK ban be lifted. The PKK ban has been used to serve domestic and foreign policy for 25 years, and it is cause for an unprecedented pressure against Kurds and their allies. Parallel to the fight against the ban, there must also be a demand that the PKK is removed entirely from the European Union’s terrorist organizations list. Similarly, an interest-based criminalization policy requires political resistance. All progressives should aim for a free life. The strong alliance for December 1 stands for just that.”

A BELATED DECISION

Norman Paech (Lawyer): “The Court of Justice verdict is a belated one. European states have ignored for years the legal struggle the PKK and the Kurdish people have waged for self defense, self government and autonomy rights, or their fight against the pressure and violence by Turkish police and army. If there is one to accuse of terrorism, it is the Turkish security forces not the PKK.”

OUR FIGHT TOO

Dr. Gisela Penteker (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War - IPPNW Officer for Turkey): “There is great anticipation for the German federal government’s reaction to the European Court of Justice ruling that EU states were not justified in their reasons for adding the PKK to the list of terrorist organizations. I personally observe that the pressure and police brutality against politically active Kurds is increasing. Security issues in various other areas are undermining the freedom and democratic rights in our country.

Kurds in Germany are also fighting for our cause, that is why I will be in Berlin on December 1.”

MORE POLITICAL PRESSURE REQUIRED

Joachim Legatis (Ver.di Union Federal Administration Member): “As a journalist and unionist, I consider the PKK ban to be an attack against freedom of expression, a fundamental right, and thus reject it. The federal government stands with Erdogan’s worldview with the ban against the PKK and other Kurdish organizations. The PKK ban must be lifted. The Turkish government’s pressure against the opposition must be objected to. The espionage through DITIB must be ended. Öcalan, Demirtas and other political prisoners must be released. We need more political pressure to stop the Turkish army’s attacks against Afrin and other Northern Syrian provinces.”

WE MUST ACT TOGETHER WITH THE KURDS

Anja Sommerfeld (Rote Hilfe Federal Administration Member): “We have demanded the lifting of the PKK ban since it was instated in 1993. The federal government is trying to act more and more like the authoritarian and militarist Turkish regime, and trying to cut off the revolutionary movement. We demand the immediate release of the 129b prisoners. This demand also goes for the 10 ATIK prisoners who are on trial in Munich for membership to TKP/ML. On December 1, we will march against the Police Act, the PKK ban and racism. The desire for freedom can’t be banned! We are calling on all progressive forces in the leftist movement, fundamental rights initiatives and peace movements to attend the protest. We must act together with the Kurdish movement. Rote Hilfe will always stand against the ban policies and with the activists who suffer pressure and police brutality.”

THE DESIRE FOR FREEDOM CAN’T BE BANNED

Nick Brauns (Historian/writer): “I was a member of a revolutionary-socialist organization when the PKK ban first went into place. If somebody told me that the fight against the ban would still continue after 25 years, I wouldn’t have believed them. Even the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has admitted that the PKK is stronger now. This is a sign that the desire for freedom can’t be banned. I hope it won’t just be Kurds in the demonstration on December 1. I hope wide democratic alliances will also speak up against the PKK ban. The PKK ban interests all revolutionaries and democrats. For 25 years, the Kurdish Freedom Movement has been prosecuted and stripped of their democratic rights, in an attempt to build a “Security State”. So, let’s stand in Berlin against the ever-tightening Police Act on December 1. The Court of Justice verdict shows that the PKK was added to the terrorist organizations list by EU governments behind closed doors in undemocratic ways. I have concerns that the verdict may not have any practical effect.”

THE BAN LOST ITS JUSTIFICATION

Margot Müller (Feministische Parteien Die Frauen Federal Spokeswoman): “The PKK ban, which has been in place for the last 25 years, has lost its justification with the European Court of Justice’s verdict. Continuing this ban would be putting political pressure against Kurds who have been fighting against ISIS to establish peace in the Middle East, as well as to protect peoples in the Middle East and Germany. This political pressure also goes against the requirements of the UN verdict No.1325. This verdict calls on involved parties to include women in the solution process in an equal manner. To protect Kurdish women in active politics and to support the struggle for freedom, peace and democracy in the Middle East, the PKK ban must be lifted.”