No: 292, 16 September 2017, Press Release Regarding permission granted by the German authorities to an event organized by the terrorist organization affiliated entities and to make its propaganda in Cologne Germany

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Dışişleri Bakanlığı 17.09.2017

We condemn the fact that permission was granted to organize an event by the PKK terrorist organization affiliated entities in Germany, today (September 16) in Cologne, Germany, and that terrorist propaganda was allowed. We have summoned the Ambassador of Germany in Ankara to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and expressed our strong reaction with regard to this event.

A blind eye was turned on to the use of PKK terrorist symbols, banners of its leader, Öcalan, and reading of a message by one of PKK’s current leaders, where he praises terrorism during the propaganda events organized under the guise of “festival” despite the fact that these actions are illegal in accordance with the German law.

It is also noteworthy that this constitutes the second event following the statement of the German authorities in Cologne where they assured that these kinds of events will not be tolerated. Germany’s hypocritical approach to countering terrorism is most concerning in terms of global counter terrorism efforts. We expect Germany to adopt a principled approach against all kinds of terrorism.