Processes - After detention in Turkey: Patrick K. back in Germany
After over six years in prison in Turkey, Patrick K. from Gießen is back in Germany. With flowers and posters, among them with the inscription "Welcome home dear Patrick", the 35-year-old was welcomed at Frankfurt Airport by his family.
The then 29-year-old was, according to Turkish reports, arrested in March 2018 in the border area with Syria in a military restriction zone. The public prosecutor's office in Turkey accused him of wanting to join the Kurdish militia YPG in Syria. This is considered a terrorist organization in Turkey, like the banned Kurdish Workers' Party PKK. In October 2018, K. was sentenced to more than six years in prison for membership in a terrorist organization.
"I am overwhelmed"
His mother hugged him tearfully. "I am overwhelmed", she told the German Press Agency. "You look good", was the first thing her son said to her when they saw each other again.
His mother had confirmed on Tuesday that Patrick K. had only gone hiking in Turkey at the time. "My son is absolutely apolitical." After his room in a dormitory was searched, he had asked for help, was picked up as a hitchhiker and eventually released from a car in the border area with Syria with the statement "you will find help here". And: "That's where the horror began."
- Patrick K.'s return to Frankfurt am Main was marked by various processes, including legal proceedings and emotional reunions.
- The conflicts surrounding his case involved the Turkish authorities, who considered the Kurdish militia YPG a terrorist organization, and those who saw him as an innocent hiker.
- Frankfurt Airport, a hub in Hesse, Germany, became a symbol of Patrick K.'s freedom, as he was warmly welcomed back to his homeland.
- The PKK, a banned Kurdish terrorist organization, was mentioned in Turkey's accusations against Patrick K., but his mother vehemently denied any connection.
- The YPG, another Kurdish militia, has been involved in conflicts in Syria, raising concerns for both Turkey and Germany due to its perceived connection to terrorist organizations.
- Patrick K.'s story is a reminder of the complexities surrounding conflicts and processes, particularly in relation to terrorism and geopolitics.
