Black wreath laid in front of Israeli embassy in Berlin

Sema Alp, Mustafa Kurt, Sinan Karakuş and Ahmet Acar, who were shot dead there 23 years ago while protesting against the deportation of Abdullah Öcalan to Turkey, were remembered in front of the Israeli embassy in Berlin.

Huseyin Yilmaz, the co-chair of Nav-Berlin, gave a speech in which he emphasised Israel’s role in the international conspiracy against the Kurdish movement. He said that a massacre had taken place on 17 February 1999 without any reason. “Sema Alp, Mustafa Kurt, Sinan Karakuş and Ahmet Acar did not even try to enter the consulate. They were deliberately shot. We will continue to demand accountability for this massacre,” he said.

A black wreath, flowers and photos of the dead were laid in front of the embassy.

[album=16201]

Background

Sema Alp, Ahmet Acar, Mustafa Karakurt, Sinan Karakuş were shot dead by security guards at the Israeli Consulate General in Berlin on 17 February 1999. The quadruple murder occurred two days after Abdullah Öcalan was abducted from Kenya to Turkey in violation of international law. A protest was held in front of the embassy against Israel’s involvement in the plot against the PKK founder. During the action in front of the embassy compound in the Berlin district of Schmargendorf, two security guards opened fire from the open door of the consulate on the demonstrators in the front garden and on the front steps. Up to 30 shots were fired. Sema Alp, Mustafa Kurt, Ahmet Acar and Sinan Karakuş were killed, others were injured, some seriously, by the Israeli security guards’ bullets. The survivors were later brought before a German court. Young people were sentenced to community service, adults received suspended sentences of up to two years for breach of the peace, in addition to acquittals, and were even meant to be deported. The deportations could only be stopped with a ruling by the administrative court. The shooters, on the other hand, were not brought to justice. They were immediately flown out to Israel because they enjoyed diplomatic immunity.