No. 15/2024
The Higher Regional Court Frankfurt/Main found Ali Ö. guilty for membership of the foreign terrorist organization „PKK“ and sentenced him to a prison term of four years.
The 8th Senate for Criminal Matters (Staatsschutzssenat) of the Higher Regional Court Frankfurt/Main today sentenced 56-year-old Ali Ö. to a prison term of four years for membership of the foreign terrorist organization “PKK” and ordered the confiscation of criminal assets (i.a. cell phones and data media).
In its statement of reasons for the verdict given on the 42nd day of the trial, the Senate found that the defendant had been active as a full-time cadre of the "PKK" from mid-July 2019 until his arrest. In this function, he carried out the typical management tasks of a "regional manager". Initially, he oversaw activities in the “PKK”-region “Sachsen”, and later on in the regions “Gießen” and “Kassel/Erfurt”. He gave instructions to subordinate activists and controlled the implementation of these instructions. He also organized propaganda events and gatherings. Moreover, he was involved in generating funding for the organization.
According to the Senate, the assessment of the sentence was based primarily on the defendant's relevant previous convictions, the nature of his activities in the three areas and the duration of the period of two years and 10 months throughout which the offense was committed.
The defendant was taken into custody on May 24, 2022 and has been in pre-trial detention without interruption since then. The Senate has ordered that the pre-trial detention be continued.
The judgment is not final yet. The defendant, his defense counsels and the Public Prosecutor General's Office (Generalstaatsanwaltschaft) can lodge an appeal on points of law (Revision) against the verdict, which would have to be decided by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH).
Higher Regional Court Frankfurt/Main, judgment of March 22, 2024, 8-2 Js 37/20 - 2/22
English version: deputy spokeswoman Dr. Kerstin Wierse