We strongly condemn the violence, the damage to property and the arrests of Kurdish journalists by the Belgian police. We call on the European Union to demand an explanation for this unacceptable violation of press freedom in its heartland. We denounce Belgium’s hidden links with Turkey, which was also subjected to similar raids on the same night, 22-23 April 2024. And this while on these days the Turkish army launched a new invasion of southern Kurdistan (Iraqi territory).
We condemn the silence of the European institutions in the face of the silencing and mistreatment of Kurdish journalists, and we call on the Cypriot political parties and the Cyprus Union of Journalists to take a stand against this injustice. We condemn everything that the Erdogan regime is committing through its allies in Europe, obliterating all the gains of democracy and equality gained in the last decades.
“WE ARE HERE”. On the side of the Kurdish journalists who have taken on the responsibility of informing the Kurdish people and preserving their language and culture. On the side of the Kurdish journalists who send a message of pride, dignity and resistance to every corner of the world and especially to Ankara. On the side of the Kurdish people who insist on fighting also for Turkish-occupied Cyprus, for freedom, humanity and democracy.
24 April 2024
Giorgos Perdikis, President of the Ecologist-Civic Coalition Movement, former Member of Parliament
Dimitrios Papadakis, Member of the European Parliament
Kostis Efstathiou, Socialist MP for Nicosia
Giorgos Koukoumas, AKEL press representative, MP
Eleni Theocharous, former MEP
Observatory for the trial of Kenan Ayaz
Kurdistan Cultural Centre “Theophilos”
Efstathios Efstathiou, lawyer
Socrates Tziazas, lawyer
Dionysis Nikoletopoulos, lawyer
Alekos Michaelides, journalist
Elina Stamatiou, journalist
Adamos Efstathiou, head of the Board of Directors of Omonia 29 May