YIlmaz Orkan’s arrest condemned at WSF in Tunis

ANF – Tunis 28.03.2013 – A number of organizations at the World social Forum (DSF) in Tunisia, has condemned in a statement the arrest fo Yilmaz Orkan, at the International Airport of Brussels last Sunday, 24th March 2013. Orkan was on his way to the forum.

The associations write: “Yilmaz Orkan is a member of the International Council of DSF, the Kurdish Network and the worldwide Network of Collective Rights of People (RMDCP). This arrest, ordered by Spanish State requested by the Europol, under an accusation that he’s among the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which is on EU’s list of terrorist organizations.We denounce this practice as a tool of criminalization of the Kurdish peoples struggle for their basic rights”. The associations add that “Yilmaz Orkan is well known for many years as a person who struggles for solidarity, democracy, peace and dignity and against people’s oppression and exploitation.

We demand from the Belgium state to release Yilmaz Orkan immediately”.The statement is signed by 30 organizations, among which are France Femmes Solidaires, Italian ARCI, Finland NIGA, Nepal NICD, Venezuela Foro Social Mondial Tematico, India Socialiste Front.