German Court Gives Former PKK Manager Suspended Sentence

WISE NEWS PRESS / BERLIN, GERMANY — NOVEMBER 18, 2025

A Berlin court sentenced a former high-ranking manager of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Germany, identified as Turkish citizen Mehmet K., to two years in prison for membership in a terrorist organization, but controversially suspended the sentence.

The ruling by the Berlin Higher Regional Court accepted that the defendant had "convincingly waived" the use of armed methods in political struggle. The decision led to the immediate lifting of his arrest warrant, despite his extensive leadership role in the PKK's European organizational structure.

High-Level Role in European Network

The court found that Mehmet K. (51) was responsible for managing the terrorist organization's activities across several regional and administrative structures (sectors) in Germany.

The details of his role revealed the scope of his involvement:

• Direct Contact: He was in direct communication with high-ranking figures responsible for the PKK's European organization.

• Managerial Authority: As an "administrative structure manager," he had the authority to issue instructions to cadres under his command.

• Regional Oversight: Using the code name "Rizgar," the defendant was responsible for the coordination and organization of propaganda events and meetings, having managed regional operations in sectors like "South 2," Stuttgart, and Cologne, before overseeing the supra-regional "North Sector" and the Berlin area until his arrest in late November 2024.

Sentence Suspension Raises Questions

Despite being convicted of membership in a foreign terrorist organization, the court's decision to suspend the two-year sentence has drawn attention. Following the verdict on Monday, the arrest warrant against Mehmet K., who was detained a year ago in Berlin, was immediately lifted.

The defendant has the right to appeal the verdict at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe.

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