RiseUp4Rojava expresses solidarity with 55 activists of Kurdish Youth Movement detained in Den Haag

On 3 December, activists of the Kurdish Youth Movement in Europe (TCŞ/TEKO-JIN) carried out an action in front of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Den Haag, Netherlands, entering and occupying the building successfully. 55 activists were arrested and 10 comrades got injured.

RiseUp4Rojava issued a statement in solidarity with the 55 activists who have still not been released, and are due to be tried soon.

The statement said: “As a campaign, we have also already several times put attention to the use of chemical weapons by the Turkish fascist state against the resisting people and the guerrillas in the Free Mountains of Kurdistan. The HPG (People‘s Defense Forces) guerrillas have called more than once for an international investigation on this topic, and for international condemnation. The OPCW has so far failed in conducting an independent investigation into Turkey‘s use of chemical weapons, making it complicit by being silent. Using chemical weapons against the guerrillas, which constitutes a war crime, is obviously also done due to the inability of the Turkish army to advance on the ground by using common weaponry, and suffering one defeat after another, especially as a result of the heroic resistance by the guerilla for more than 7 months!”

The statement added: “As RiseUp4Rojava, we see the civil disobedience action by the activists of the Kurdish Youth Movement in Europe as a legitimate reaction against the silence of the international community in face of war crimes committed by the Turkish state.

We call upon everyone to show solidarity in creative ways with the comrades that are still in custody. Take the streets in front of embassies and other official representations and institutions of the Netherlands, responding to the repression against our comrades.”

The statement continued: “At the same time, we call to denounce and to stand against war crimes by the Turkish state and their collaborators around the world. Without the extensive support that Turkey receives, the fascist regime would have fallen a long time ago. Target the profiteers of war and those being complicit by being silent! Show your solidarity with the anti-fascist resistance in Kurdistan, and with those facing repressions around the world for raising their voices!”