In March 2023, at the behest of the Turkish state, German authorities sought and obtained the extradition of the Kurdish fighter from the Cypriot authorities. In response, the lawyers of Kenan Ayaz (official surname Ayias), together with people from the solidarity movement, formed the Kenan Ayaz Watch and the website KenanWatch.org in order to break the silencing methods aimed at sweeping the event under the carpet. The observatory is essentially trying to ensure that, whether convicted or acquitted, Kenan Ayaz is returned to Cyprus, as the guarantees given by the German state explicitly stipulate, so that he is not handed over to the Turkish regime. To this end, the initiative is visiting Hamburg to observe the trial and to intervene, through the lawyers, but also through political action.
On Monday, 18 December, the observatory’s delegation left Cyprus, composed of two lawyers and two members of KenanWatch, for Hamburg, where the trial of Kenan Ayaz has been taking place for months, where it attended and participated in two historic court proceedings in which the history, philosophy, organisational structure and military action of the Kurdish freedom movement were analysed.
On 22 December the mission left Hamburg to return to Cyprus. One of the lawyers of the mission, while in Berlin for the return trip had unknown persons sneak into his hotel room and while he was away for a short time and remove his personal computer which contained sensitive information for the trial and defence of Kenyan Ayaz. This particular computer was used in all trials on the lawyers’ bench and was also the computer that the KenanWatch team used to post updates on the trial of Kenan Ayas on the Kenanwatch.org website. We note that the hotel door was locked with an electronic card and while there was a substantial amount of money, it was not taken. Kenan’s lawyer in Germany made an immediate complaint. There is no doubt in our minds that this was a serious attack by the secret services of the Turkish or German state, or both in cooperation, an operation in the context of the special war against the revolutionary movements, especially the Kurdish one.
From the very beginning, Kenan and the kurdish movement have been declaring that the German and Turkish states are in total collaboration and that the Cypriot state has joined this wolf alliance against the militants. After this attack by state agents, there are no second thoughts anymore. The persecution and the methods of repression against the movement, is part of the international conspiracy that began with Occalan and continues uninterrupted to this day. Besides, the NATO forces still have fresh experiences from the Gladio operations.
As an observatory for the trial of Kenan Ayaz, we declare in every direction that we will continue our activity undeterred, stepping up our support and escalating our presence in Hamburg and our public actions.