German Police Arrest Senior PKK Member in Bremen Raid
the German government has not eased its stance on the PKK despite its recent calls for peace and disarmament. The Der Tagesspiegel cited multiple police operations conducted in recent months against entities suspected of close links to the PKK.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – German authorities arrested a senior member of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on Tuesday, during a targeted police operation in the city of Bremen, as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle networks associated with the group classified as a terrorist organization by both Germany and the European Union.
The detainee, identified as Yüksel Koç, the former co-chair of the Congress of Kurdistan Democratic Communities in Europe (KCDK-E), which German officials regard as affiliated with the PKK. He was apprehended at his residence in Bremen following a coordinated raid by German police forces.
Federal Prosecutor: Koç Arrested on PKK Membership Charges
In an official statement, the German Federal Prosecutor's Office confirmed that Koç was arrested on charges of PKK membership. He appears on both Germany and the EU's terrorism watch lists.
The arrest was first reported by Der Tagesspiegel, which noted that despite the PKK’s announcement of self-dissolution, the German Interior Ministry continues to classify the party as a terrorist organization and has maintained a series of crackdowns on affiliated individuals and groups.
Berlin Sustains Crackdown Despite PKK Announcements
According to Der Tagesspiegel, the German government has not eased its stance on the PKK despite its recent calls for peace and disarmament. The newspaper cited multiple police operations conducted in recent months against entities suspected of close links to the PKK.
In a previous operation also in Bremen, German police seized documents, cash, and a vehicle from a related organization. The raids are part of Berlin’s broader effort to suppress what it sees as illegal fundraising and coordination networks operating under the guise of Kurdish cultural or community initiatives.
Police Monitoring PKK-Linked Fundraising Campaigns
German authorities continue to closely monitor individuals allegedly connected to PKK-led financial support campaigns, particularly among segments of the Kurdish diaspora in Germany. Law enforcement agencies have reportedly arrested and prosecuted several individuals in recent months on such grounds.
The arrest of Yüksel Koç underscores Germany’s ongoing counterterrorism policy toward the PKK, even amid regional developments surrounding the group’s declared shift toward disarmament. Despite changes in the organization’s rhetoric, Berlin’s legal classification of the PKK remains unchanged, fueling further security operations across German cities.
