Australian-Kurdish activist Çiğdem (Lenna) Aslan was about to board a flight from Istanbul, Turkey, to Australia, after a family visit, when she was arrested by Turkish intelligence on September 15.
The Kurdish community is very concerned for her wellbeing. Australia said it is “providing consular assistance”.
Aslan, a mother of two, is active in the Kurdish community in Naarm/Melbourne.
As a previous Co-Chair of the Federation of Democratic Kurdish Society-Australia (FDKSA), she worked hard to promote Kurdish culture and identity and assist Kurdish refugees.
FDKSA co-chair Brusk Aeiveri told Green Left: “Çiğdem’s case is an example of [what has happened to] many ordinary Kurds, some with no background in any political activism, who were simply visiting their families in Turkey when they were arrested, intimidated and fined.
“In some cases, they were targeted by Turkish authorities simply for sharing an article, or joining a peaceful and legitimate protest in Australia.
“It seems that Turkish Intelligence continues to monitor the Kurdish people’s movement here.
“Our community has been devastated and shocked by this ongoing harassment and intimidation by such a brutal regime.”
Socialist Alliance Merri-bek City Councillor Sue Bolton, who has known Aslan for more than a decade, said she is very concerned about her arrest.
“She is a salt-of-the-earth humanitarian, a human rights activist and not a terrorist,” Bolton told GL.
“The Australian government should strenuously object to Çiğdem’s arrest and detention, demand her immediate release and for an end to the persecution of all Kurdish, pro-Kurdish and other democratic activists.”
Greens Senator David Shoebridge told GL: “What is especially disturbing is that Turkish news outlets have been openly stating that Çiğdem has been ‘under surveillance’ by Turkish authorities for an extended period, due to her involvement in activities and events organised in Australia.
“If this is true, this is a serious attack on the rights and freedom of the Kurdish Australian diaspora.”
Shoebridge said he is asking Australian security agencies what they are doing to protect the Kurdish Australian community.
“Everyone in this country has the right to safely, peacefully and proudly express their culture and beliefs, free of foreign interference.”
Aeiveri said the Turkish intelligence agency, National Intelligence Organization (Millî İstihbarat Teşkilatı, MIT) has ignored Australian laws many times to target Kurdish-Australians and Turkish-Australian democracy activists.
“We believe the Turkish government and MIT are also creating divisions among Australian communities, using false propaganda and intimidation tactics.
“Any activity related to Kurds is labelled as ‘terrorist activity’ by the Turkish government.
Aeiveri said the Turkish state, founded on denying Kurdish people their rights, has committed horrendous crimes and genocide against them.
“Currently, it is carrying out military operations in Kurdistan; in Bakur (Eastern Turkey), Basur (Northern Iraq) and Rojava (North and East Syria) and it is also trying to silence the Kurdish diaspora from speaking out against these atrocities.”
FDKSA is calling on Australia and the international community to stop the Turkish government’s harassment and intimidation of its citizens with Kurdish background.
It also wants the Australian government to remove the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from the terrorist list.
“As long as this terrorist listing of PKK continues, Kurds in Australia are vulnerable to intimidation, harassment and arrest by Kurdish authorities,” Aeiveri said.
Bolton strongly agreed. “Listing the PKK as a terrorist organisation only helps legitimise the Turkish state’s targeting of Kurdish and pro-Kurdish activists for simply exercising their democratic rights.”