ISTANBUL
The EU Court of Justice has rejected the terrorist group PKK’s appeal against previous EU court rulings imposing restrictive measures on the outlawed group.
The Court of Justice, the EU’s highest court, dismissed the terrorist PKK’s 2023 appeal on Thursday, which challenged decisions made against the group in a series of rulings since 2015.
With this ruling, the court upheld previous decisions on the terrorist group, affirming that the PKK remains involved in acts that justify its listing. It stated that "the ongoing risk of involvement in terrorist activities" necessitates continued restrictive measures.
The PKK had argued that its actions should not be classified as terrorism but rather as acts within an armed conflict. But the court rejected this claim, stressing that EU counterterrorism laws apply regardless of the context in which violent acts occur.
The ruling also confirmed that the EU Council’s decision-making process complied with legal requirements.
"The names of persons and entities on the (terrorist) list … shall be reviewed at regular intervals and at least once every six months to ensure that there are grounds for keeping them on the list," the court stated.
The PKK has been on the EU’s list of terrorist groups since 2002. As part of these measures, the EU imposes sanctions such as freezing the PKK’s financial assets and prohibiting financial support to the group.
In 2022 the group applied to the EU General Court seeking removal from the terrorist list and the lifting of financial restrictions, but its request was denied.
In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, infants and the elderly.
Aside from the EU officially listing the PKK as a terrorist group, Türkiye has decried the tolerance many of its member states have shown the group’s activities, including fundraising and demonstrations.
On Feb. 27, convicted terrorist PKK ringleader Abdullah Ocalan called for the dissolution of the PKK and all groups under it, urging an end to its terror campaign spanning over 40 years.