In today’s trial against Kenan Ayaz before the Hamburg Higher Regional Court, the court rejected a further request from the defense. On the basis of informant statements, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution had created a so-called official certificate that was intended to prove Kenan Ayaz’s membership in the PKK. The defense had requested to be able to ask the informant questions, if necessary in writing. For this purpose, a catalog of questions should be sent to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Judge Wende-Spohrs said that in order to protect the identity of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, there was a “blocking declaration”. Because of the “particular danger of the PKK”, the source must be protected because it should continue to be used. The request for evidence was lengthily rejected.
Kuhn: Political character of the process
The defense attorney Stephan Kuhn then justified the request made at the start of the trial to stop the proceedings. He pointed to the current military operation in southern Kurdistan that violates international law, which the Turkish media called the “mother of all anti-terrorist actions.” Tens of thousands of soldiers are involved in the operation. In the Hürriyet there was talk of the “death sentence against the PKK” in connection with the meeting between Erdogan and the Iraqi President in Baghdad. At the same time, Kurdish television stations in Brussels were affected by a raid, the French state arrested eight Kurdish activists at the same time, while the federal prosecutor’s office is talking about “defense conspiracy theories” in relation to the persecution of Kurdish activists. Democracies should actually be expected to call on Turkey to exercise moderation and adherence to international law in relation to the war against the Kurds, but instead Europe is obviously coordinating its actions against the Kurdish movement with the Turkish state. Human and international law is being abandoned in favor of power politics, which emphasizes the political nature of the trial against Kenan Ayaz. In this context, the defense once again referred to the meeting of the former Federal Prosecutor General Peter Frank with Erdogan and the Turkish demands regarding the prosecution of Kurdish activists within Europe in connection with the NATO accession negotiations of Sweden and Finland. All of this proves that the prosecution in this case is motivated purely by power politics and is therefore objectively arbitrary.
Further hearing dates
The hearing will continue on May 2nd. Further scheduled dates are: May 31st. from 1 p.m., June 6th, June 19th until 1 p.m., June 27th, July 2nd, July 9th, July 11th, July 17th, July 22nd. and 19.8. The trial takes place on the 1st floor of the OLG Hamburg at Sievekingplatz 3, either in room 237 or 288. The negotiations usually begin at 9:30 a.m.
Postal address and donation account
The website kenanwatch.org provides information in Greek, English and German about the trial and the protests in Cyprus and Germany. Kenan Ayaz is happy to receive mail. Letters can also be written in languages other than Kurdish or Turkish as translation is guaranteed. Please note that the authority name is spelled “Ayas” so that the letters are delivered. Kenan Ayas Hamburg pretrial detention center Holstenglacis 3 20355 Hamburg Donation account: Rote Hilfe e.V. OG Hamburg Keyword: Free Kenan IBAN: DE06200100200084610203