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The situation of Kurdish activist Kenan Ayaz has reached the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), challenging the legality of his conviction in Germany and renewing calls for his release.
Ayaz received a four-year prison sentence in Germany, not for violent acts or terrorism, but for taking part in peaceful, public cultural events linked to Kurdish issues. According to a 24news article by Elisavet Georgiou, his lawyer, Efstathios Efstathiou, notes that these activities are fully protected under the European Convention on Human Rights, specifically Articles 10 and 11, which cover freedom of expression and assembly.
Efstathiou explained that, while the German court recognizes the actions as lawful in principle, it treated them as criminal because of the political context. This approach, he argues, applies collective responsibility in a way that conflicts with the legal principle that no one can be punished for acts not clearly defined as crimes.
The appeal to the ECHR, filed in October, contends that Ayaz’s conviction violates fundamental rights, including the right to a fair trial, and freedoms of expression and assembly. According to his legal team, under Cypriot law, none of the activities for which he was convicted would be considered criminal.
Since returning to Cyprus in September 2025 as a recognized political refugee, Ayaz has remained in legal limbo. Observers and advocacy groups criticize Cyprus for enforcing Germany’s arrest warrant, describing it as a failure to protect a refugee from politically motivated prosecution.
Members of Cyprus’s parliament and the Kenan Ayaz Observatory are calling for his immediate release and restoration of his asylum status. Some argue that the case reflects broader political pressure, suggesting his imprisonment in Germany served the interests of foreign political actors.
Ayaz has also refused temporary release or electronic monitoring, maintaining that he has committed no criminal act.
