Bijî Serok Apo

Bijî Serok Apo is a slogan used by sympathizers with Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and can be translated into Long live leader Apo[1] (Apo as abbreviation for Abdullah). Apo can be translated also into uncle.[2][3][4] The slogan can lead to prosecution in Turkey and Germany.

History

Its origin can be traced back to a concert at the University of Cologne, Germany from 11 May 1984 when Koma Berxwedan gave a concert in support of the PKK.[2] The party organ Serxwebûn reported how at the end of the concert the crowd shouted Bijî Serok Apo.[2] Since it has become a common slogan for Kurdish political activists.

It has been present during the press conference in Batman, where politicians of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) read out a press statement on the 10th anniversary of the capture of Abdullah Öcalan.[5]

In 2014 it was shouted during a march against the terror designation of the PKK in Cologne, Germany.[6] The phrase is also used by fighters of the Peoples' Defense Units (YPG).[7] In 2016 at a Kurdish festival in Cologne with 30'000 attendants where the party Die Linke politician Bernd Riexinger and demanded Abdullah Öcalans freedom and peace negotiations, the slogan was also shouted.[8] It is also often shouted during the annual Newroz celebrations in March in Diyarbakır,[9][10][4] and Istanbul.[11]

Prosecution

In Turkey

In Turkey, the slogan can lead to a prison sentences[12] and fines.[13] The slogan is not prohibited per se, but is often viewed as showing support for the PKK by the Turkish authorities.[14] In 2009 two Kurds were sentenced to a fine of 500 and 600 Turkish lira after having shouted the slogan during a press conference opposing the closure of the DTP.[15] In December 2019, the European Court of human Rights ruled that the slogan is protected by Article 10 of the European Convention of Human rights which concerns on freedom of expression.[13] In 2022, the former co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas was prosecuted for a tweet of 16 November 2013 in which he wrote Bijî Serok Apo.[16] In July the slogan was also shouted during the HDP congress in Ankara.[14]

In Germany

In Germany the slogan is at times not protected by the freedom of expression.[17] Depending on the police, the slogan can lead to an investigation or can also be permitted.[18] Its shouting can lead to a prosecution[19] and fine.[20]

References

  1. ^ "New indictment against Demirtaş over tweet from nine years ago". Bianet. 1 April 2022.
  2. ^ a b c ""Bijî Serok Apo" – Die Geschichte einer Parole". Firat News Agency (in German). Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  3. ^ Gottschlich, Jürgen (1999-02-17). "PKK verliert ihren Onkel". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). p. 2. ISSN 0931-9085. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  4. ^ a b Fagetti, Andreas (2012-02-07). "Das Woodstock der Kurdinnen: Newroz, ein Freudenfest gegen die Unterdrücker". WOZ Die Wochenzeitung (in German). Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  5. ^ Arslan, Arif (14 February 2009). "Batman'da olaylı gösteri: 15 gözaltı". Hürriyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  6. ^ Iskandar, Katharina; Frankfurt. "Frankfurt: Kurden und Linke halten Großdemonstration". FAZ.NET (in German). ISSN 0174-4909. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  7. ^ Wellen, Russ (2015-02-06). "The Confederalists: A Kurdish Movement Bolsters Women and Bashes the West - FPIF". Foreign Policy In Focus. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  8. ^ Werthschulte, Christian (2016-09-05). "Ein Volksfest für Öcalan". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). p. 7. ISSN 0931-9085. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  9. ^ "Diyarbakır'da Newroz: 'Dolmabahçe Mutabakatı'nın arkasındayız'". Ahval. 21 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Öcalan poster in Diyarbakır Newroz". mezopotamyaajansi35.com. Retrieved 2022-11-27.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ Demirel, Ferid (21 March 2022). "'Bijî Newroz': People flock to Yenikapı Square in İstanbul". Bianet.
  12. ^ "Turkey's appeals court overturns terrorism conviction". Ahval. 18 July 2020.
  13. ^ a b "EGMR: "Bijî Serok Apo" von Meinungsfreiheit gedeckt". ANF News (in German). Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  14. ^ a b "14 detained after the HDP congress in Ankara". ANF News. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  15. ^ "Chanting 'Bijî Serok Apo' is freedom of expression, top Europe rights court tells Turkey". Gazete Duvar (in Turkish). 2019-05-12. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  16. ^ "Demirtaş faces new terrorism charges over tweet from nine years ago". Gazete Duvar (in Turkish). 2022-02-04. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  17. ^ "BGH 3 StR 299/02 - 21. November 2002 (LG Berlin) · hrr-strafrecht.de". www.hrr-strafrecht.de. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  18. ^ Leclerc, Florian (30 November 2014). "Mit wehenden Öcalan-Flaggen". Frankfurter Rundschau (in German). Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  19. ^ "Viel Polizei bei Demo von KurdInnen". beobachternews.de. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  20. ^ "Berlin: Urteil gegen Kurdin: Teure Parole bei einer Demonstration". Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 2022-11-27.